Mavericks Shut Down Kyrie Irving for Remainder of Season

Head coach Jason Kidd cites 'long-term health' as reason for Irving sitting out

Feb. 27, 2026 at 3:15am

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The Dallas Mavericks have officially shut down star guard Kyrie Irving for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season. Head coach Jason Kidd explained the decision is focused on Irving's 'long-term health' and ensuring he is fully recovered from a torn ACL suffered last March before returning next season.

Why it matters

The Mavericks are having a disappointing season and are focused on building for the future. Preserving Irving's health for next season is crucial, especially with the team's promising rookie Cooper Flagg and a potential high draft pick that could accelerate their rebuild.

The details

Irving suffered a torn ACL last March and the Mavericks have been cautious with his recovery timeline. While Irving has looked good in practice, the team wants to make sure he is fully healthy before returning to game action, rather than rushing him back for the final stretch of a lost season.

  • Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL in March 2025.
  • The Mavericks officially shut down Irving on February 20, 2026.

The players

Kyrie Irving

A 33-year-old star point guard for the Dallas Mavericks who is sitting out the remainder of the 2025-26 season to fully recover from a torn ACL.

Jason Kidd

The head coach of the Dallas Mavericks who announced the decision to shut down Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season.

Cooper Flagg

A promising rookie for the Dallas Mavericks who could help accelerate the team's rebuild alongside a high draft pick.

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What they’re saying

“'Long-term health,' he said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. 'We want to make sure he's ready to go for next season...For him, at practice, some of the things that he's working on, he looks good. I think as we get into March and April, we want him to keep going in the right direction. For that decision he made, we're thinking about the long term of his health and for us being healthy going into next season.'”

— Jason Kidd, Head Coach, Dallas Mavericks

What’s next

The Mavericks will continue to monitor Kyrie Irving's recovery and aim to have him fully healthy and ready to contribute at the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.

The takeaway

By prioritizing Kyrie Irving's long-term health over a lost season, the Mavericks are making a prudent decision that should pay dividends as they look to rebuild around their star guard and promising rookie Cooper Flagg next year.