The nightmare scenario for Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Kyrie Irving unfortunately did come true, as he is now done for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season after it was announced that he tore his ACL in his left knee during Monday night’s home game versus the Sacramento Kings.
Irving sustained the injury in the first quarter of the Kings game, though, he was able to sink a pair of free throws before leaving the court.
The Mavericks ended up losing to Sacramento, 122-98, but the defeat pales in comparison to the gravity of Irving’s season-ending fate.
With Irving ruled out for the rest of the campaign, there is now the possibility that he has already played his final game in a Mavericks uniform.
The former No. 1 pick overall in the 2011 NBA draft has a big decision to make soon, as he has a player option worth $43.96 million for the 2024-25 NBA season. He still has until June 25 to decide on it. But just from the fact that he just suffered a devastating injury, it’s not hard to imagine Irving picking up that option instead of looking for a new contract in the summer.
In 50 games this season, Kyrie Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and 40.1 percent from behind the arc. Getting those numbers from the remaining healthy players on the roster is a tall order, but the bigger (and perhaps impossible) challenge is finding someone who could create the kind of impact that Irving does on the floor.
It has been a wild season for the Mavericks and their fans. The shocking departure of Luka Doncic via a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers just a month ago has yet to sink in completely for many Dallas supporters.
While the Mavs got Anthony Davis as the main piece in return for trading Doncic, the superstar big man is currently unable to help Dallas on the court due to an injury he suffered right in his Mavericks debut. Additionally, the Mavs are still missing the services of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford due to injuries.
The Mavericks are 32-30, which is good for 10th place in the Western Conference standings, but holding that spot, let alone moving up, is going to be easier said than done for them now that they have lost Kyrie Irving.
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