Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is going to be spending much of his offseason recovering. The eight-time All-Star and 2016 NBA champion has undergone surgery on a broken left hand that he suffered in July, per Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.
This is obviously disappointing news for a team and fan base that watched Irving thrive last season and help the Mavs reach the NBA Finals for the third time in franchise history. Fortunately, though, he has more than three months before the 2024-25 campaign tips off.
The injury is said to have occurred while the 32-year-old was training. He is among the best ball-handlers and finishers at the rim that the game has ever seen, so it is crucial that Irving does everything necessary to regain full function of his hand by the time Dallas takes the court.
Getting off to a slow start can have costly consequences in the Western Conference, and that becomes a legitimate concern if the future Hall of Famer is not fully healthy. He averaged 25.6 points on 49.7 percent shooting, 5.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in 2023-24, validating the three-year, $120 million contract the Mavericks gave him last offseason.
Initially considered to be a major risk, both from a defensive and distraction perspective, Kyrie Irving has become an integral part of the team's recent success and a fan favorite. Although no one can exactly predict how this specific talent will respond year to year, it seems that the biggest roadblock to continued prosperity in Dallas is his long-term health.
While it is not all due to injury-related reasons, Irving has not played at least 65 games in a regular season since 2018-19. Hopefully, this latest update does not foretell more lengthy absences to come.
Mavericks will rely heavily on Kyrie Irving in their pursuit of NBA title
Now that the Mavs have avenged their miserable 2022-23 season and claimed the West, they must figure out how to put everything together for next year. They clearly believe that acquiring Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors gives them a good chance at executing that plan.
With Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford manning defensive responsibilities, the front office will be looking to Irving, Thompson and of course Luka Doncic to provide the bulk of the offensive production. But that vision could be tenuous, given the injury troubles those players have all endured to varying degrees.
Although health is a top priority for all teams, it could be especially important for the Mavericks. When Kyrie Irving is sidelined, it puts tremendous onus on Doncic to carry the load. That is not an ideal formula to win a championship. It is far too early to panic, however.
If bad news was going to hit this franchise, at least it came early in the offseason. Irving can now get to work on rehabbing his hand and doing his part to finish the job that Dallas started in 2024.
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