The Dallas Mavericks enter the upcoming NBA season as one of the league’s most intriguing teams. Kyrie Irving is expected to miss most, if not all, of the season while recovering from a torn ACL. Dallas will rely on respected superstar Anthony Davis and rookie sensation Cooper Flagg as its primary hopes for success.
It’s easy to forget that former Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson is still on the roster amid all the changes over the past twelve months. Thompson initially joined the Mavericks to team up with Luka Doncic and Irving, hoping to be the missing piece for the franchise’s first championship since 2011.
Doncic’s shocking trade altered the team’s trajectory, but Thompson remains optimistic. “Once we get Kyrie back, I don’t see why we can’t win the whole thing,” Thompson said, as transcribed by beat writer Mike Curtis. His trademark confidence hasn’t wavered, and Klay still believes he’ll add another ring to his career legacy before his time in Dallas ends.
Klay May Get Kyrie Back Sooner
Irving spent much of the summer streaming online with popular personalities sparking conversations about his NBA future. Some hints suggested he could push for a late season return if the team can contend, though expectations remain low given that a torn ACL typically requires a full year of recovery at the NBA level.
Advances in technology and medical treatment have improved the chances of players returning to form after major injuries. In previous eras, there might have been doubt about Irving’s career ever being the same. Now the question centers on his timetable rather than even questioning if he can be this great again.
“I’ve made that statement clear that I’m trying to be better than I was, which is a hard task,” Irving said. “I felt like I was in a great rhythm before I got injured. I felt like I was able to play 40-plus minutes per night with no problem.”
Whether Irving can realistically return before season’s end and do so at his previous level remains uncertain. The Mavericks’ success in the next few years require a healthy Kyrie playing All-Star caliber basketball in the deep Western Conference.
Kidd Not As Optimistic As Klay
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd declined to set expectations for Irving’s recovery, citing the difficulty of projecting a return from such a severe injury. While speculation has circulated about a possible comeback this season, Kidd expressed less confidence in that scenario during the team’s media day interviews.
The legend completely shut down any conversation of Irving being ahead of schedule, calling it “bad reporting” by the media and “unfair” talking points for both Irving and the Mavericks franchise. Kidd made it clear he doesn’t want fans anticipating a timetable that may not materialize or cloud Irving’s judgment.
As a result, Thompson faces added pressure this season as the third scoring option behind Davis and Flagg. Thompson’s days of nightly dominance may be behind him, but he has the chance to show his game can still be a difference maker for a team looking to overachieve and eventually contend for a title.