The Dallas Mavericks are bracing to begin the upcoming season without Kyrie Irving — an outcome most fans anticipated. Irving suffered an ACL tear in his left knee on March 3 and had surgery shortly after. Recovery was expected to take about 10 months, but recent updates from the star guard have created uncertainty around his return timeline. As things stand, there’s no definitive answer on when he’ll be back.
To prepare, Dallas moved quickly in free agency, signing veteran D’Angelo Russell to take over point guard duties. The Mavs also re-signed Dante Exum to deepen their backcourt rotation. On paper, these seemed like safe moves. But there’s a glaring issue: neither Russell nor Exum brings the same level of impact as Irving. Some argue the Mavericks should’ve pursued a higher-level guard rather than relying on these two alone.
Irving’s absence will be deeply felt. A 2016 NBA Champion and nine-time All-Star, Kyrie helped carry the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals and was in top form before his injury. He earned another All-Star selection in 2025 and shot 40.1% from three. His experience and leadership would’ve been the ideal pairing alongside Cooper Flagg to start the new campaign.
Did Dallas Aim Too Low This Offseason?
While the Mavericks made additions, they may have missed out on bigger opportunities. Players like Jrue Holiday, Collin Sexton, and Lonzo Ball were all on the move this summer — and Dallas was linked to them in trade rumors. Instead, the Mavs held back, eventually settling for Russell, Exum, and rookie Ryan Nembhard (signed to a two-way deal).
Russell is expected to start. He’s a proven scorer, averaging 17.3 points over his career and shooting 42.7% from the field. In January, he had a strong run, averaging 14.9 points and consistently scoring in double figures.
However, consistency remains an issue. Russell can be hot one night and ice-cold the next. In one of his final games last season, he logged a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists. But in the very next game, he went 0-for-6 from the field, missing all four three-point attempts. His defensive effort has also been questioned. Teams struggle to trust him because his game varies so wildly.
His playoff history doesn’t help. Two years ago, against the Denver Nuggets, he scored 23 points in Game 2 but was completely scoreless in Game 3 — missing all seven of his shots. In contrast, Irving thrives under postseason pressure. He averaged 27 points per game in the 2023 Western Conference Finals against Minnesota and helped lead the Mavs to the Finals alongside Luka Doncic.
Irving also brings a defensive edge that Russell lacks. He has a strong feel for anticipating opponents’ moves and positions himself well defensively.
Exum and Nembhard, meanwhile, are not seen as long-term solutions either. Exum is a solid role player and can catch fire at times, but his injury history makes him a risky bet. He played just 20 games last season and 55 the year before.
Nembhard, a two-way rookie, is more of a developmental project than an immediate contributor. His role — if any — this season is unclear.
This makes the Mavericks’ guard rotation look shaky at best. Recently, Irving joined a Twitch stream and said he had “no timetable” for his return. That alone could seriously derail GM Nico Harrison’s hopes of delivering a championship in the next two to three years.
The Western Conference is stacked with elite guards — from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Steph Curry, Ja Morant, and Anthony Edwards. Dallas will need steady, high-level guard play to keep up. And right now, it’s unclear if Russell, Exum, and Nembhard are enough.
Unless they step up in a big way, the Mavericks may regret not swinging for a bigger trade. D’Angelo Russell now faces the pressure of proving he can lead at a high level consistently. But if he falters, this offseason gamble may push the Mavericks closer to disaster
