There's also a scenario where the Mavericks could trade for a player, and Sports Illustrated recently proposed one for them to land an intriguing scoring guard. The trade would move on from PJ Washington and more for Anfernee Simons of the Boston Celtics.

Dallas signed D'Angelo Russell to be a stop-gap for Irving until he returns. Russell will need to bounce back from a disappointing 2024-25 season, but he'll be flanked by a talented roster featuring Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, and more.

The Dallas Mavericks are optimistic about Kyrie Irving's return for the 2025-26 season, despite his ACL tear in March 2025. Mark Cuban expressed confidence in Irving's recovery, suggesting he may not miss significant time.