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October 15, 2026 at 5:41 AM UTC

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Kyrie Irving Will End 19-Month Absence in Macao, Reveals Calf Strain Added to ACL Rehab

Mavericks coach Dusty May says Kyrie Irving will play in one of two preseason games against Houston in Macao, but not which one. Irving also disclosed a Grade 2 calf strain that cost him eight weeks of rehab.

Kyrie Irving reveals an extra injury setback during ACL rehab before he ends 19-month NBA absence — Yahoo Sports
Kyrie Irving reveals an extra injury setback during ACL rehab before he ends 19-month NBA absence — Yahoo Sports

Kyrie Irving will make his return to NBA game action this weekend in Macao, China, when the Dallas Mavericks play the Houston Rockets in two preseason games at The Venetian Arena as part of the NBA Global Games. Coach Dusty May said Thursday that Irving will play in only one of the two, and he has not said which. Irving has not played in an NBA game since tearing the ACL in his left knee against Sacramento on March 3, 2025, a layoff of more than 19 months.

The first game is Friday, Oct. 9. It is listed at 7 a.m. Central, which is 8 a.m. ET. The second is Sunday, Oct. 11, listed at 5 a.m. Central, or 6 a.m. ET. Dallas will release a full availability report before Friday's tipoff. May has also said the Mavericks will use a limited roster in both games.

A previously undisclosed setback

Speaking to reporters in Macao, Irving revealed that his recovery was complicated by a Grade 2 calf strain in December. "Throughout the season, I did have a moment in December where I did have a setback that did put me out for about 8 weeks," he said. "I had a Grade 2 calf strain that pushed my timeline even more."

Mavericks’ Santi Aldama Makes Major Basketball Decision After Knee Surgery — Yahoo Sports
Mavericks’ Santi Aldama Makes Major Basketball Decision After Knee Surgery — Yahoo Sports

Irving was ruled out for the entire 2025-26 season on Feb. 18. Last winter's reporting centered on the front office's caution and on new governor Patrick Dumont's reported wish to see Irving, Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg play together before deciding the future of the roster ahead of the Feb. 4 trade deadline. Irving's account adds a medical explanation for why he never got back on the court, though it does not by itself explain every decision the team made. He said the offseason gave him time to "push my body to the limits that I knew were smart." In May, he said he was "close to being over at 100%" in his ACL recovery.

Cleared, but managed

Irving has been cleared without restrictions and has practiced since camp opened Sept. 26. Limiting him to one game is a workload decision for a 34-year-old entering his 14th NBA season, not a sign of a new problem. May has not said how many minutes Irving will play.

The limited roster also reflects injuries in Dallas's frontcourt. Santi Aldama has been restricted throughout camp as he works back from an arthroscopic procedure and injection on his right knee in March. Morez Johnson Jr., the No. 9 overall pick, had lower-leg soreness early in camp but has since played significant 5-on-5 work.

Fitting Irving next to Flagg

The larger question is how Irving fits with a roster that has changed almost entirely since he last played. Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is the centerpiece, and the preseason will give Dallas its first look at the two sharing the floor in a game. Max Christie, who has played with Irving for less than two weeks, said: "It's always fun to play with a Hall of Famer. Obviously, watching him create, and then being his teammate as well, I'm the beneficiary of a lot of just his basketball."

Masai Ujiri, Dallas's new team president, has said the organization wants to find out how the pairing works. "There's a huge curiosity in our minds to see how Kyrie fits playing with Cooper Flagg," he said, adding, "I think we owe that to this organization." Ujiri also said he has had those conversations with Irving.

Trade chatter and a settled locker room

Not everyone expects the partnership to last. On Bleacher Report's "NBA Insider" podcast last week, Jake Fischer said rival executives are "not convinced" Irving finishes the season in Dallas. He mentioned the Heat as a possible suitor and said he had not heard that Houston was looking at Irving. That is one reporter's account of league sentiment, not a confirmed development. Any trade value would depend on how Irving looks after such a long layoff.

Irving has addressed the speculation by stressing his commitment to the franchise. At media day he said he was "in love with this place" because of how welcoming the franchise and fans have been. He also acknowledged the turmoil of recent years. "I'm not going to shy away from saying it's been a little chaotic at times, inside the locker room as well as outside," he said, recalling a game in which fans' back-and-forth made it harder for P.J. Washington to recalibrate at the free-throw line.

May's offensive priorities

May, in his first year as head coach, has said the team's shot profile must get better. "Our shot diet, our shot profile, has to improve from the team last year," he said. "We have to generate better, more efficient looks." Dallas ranked 27th in the league last season in three-point attempts per game at 31.9. That is not necessarily a flaw in itself: Houston, Detroit and Toronto were also in the bottom five in attempts but finished in the top half of the league in offensive rating. A healthy Irving, one of the league's best shot creators, would give May a way to improve shot quality without simply raising volume.

For now, the immediate answer is simpler. Fans in Macao and those awake early in North America will see Irving for one game, and Dallas will find out whether he and Flagg can play off each other.

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