Jason Kidd Hints At Kyrie Irving’s Possible Return Before 2025 Ends, Sees ‘Perfect Fit’ With Cooper Flagg

Grant AfsethNovember 2, 2025November 2, 2025no comment

Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images

What began as a message of patience has turned into something more revealing. For the first time since Kyrie Irving underwent surgery on his torn left ACL, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd gave a clear — and unmistakably more optimistic — signal about the star guard’s potential return.

“Kai is going to be a perfect fit with Cooper Flagg, when you talk about his skillset of being able to dribble and score,” Kidd said before Saturday’s game in Mexico City. “He also creates space on the floor for Cooper, and vice versa. We just can’t wait to get Kai back, at some point. Hopefully it’s in the year of ’25 — not ’26. We’ll see what happens, but I think those two will be a perfect match in the backcourt.”

That comment — “hopefully in the year of ’25” — stood out for its unmistakable shift in tone. It was a break from the cautious messaging Kidd and the Mavericks had emphasized for months. The same coach who spent the preseason downplaying reports of Irving being “ahead of schedule” now publicly acknowledged the organization’s eagerness to get him back.

From ‘On Schedule’ to Open Optimism

When Irving first addressed his recovery at media day, both he and Kidd stressed there was no rush. The guard, entering his 15th NBA season, had torn his ACL on March 3 and underwent surgery later that month. The typical nine-to-twelve-month recovery window placed his earliest return date around late December.

At the time, Kidd warned reporters not to overstate Irving’s progress and called it “bad reporting.” At the time, leading into training camp, DallasHoopsJournal.com used “ahead of schedule” in reporting about Irving’s ongoing recovery process all for there to be a shift in tone less than 10 games into the season.

“When we do see Kai shooting, can we just refrain from saying ‘ahead of schedule’? That’s bad reporting,” Kidd said in September. “He’s doing quite well, as we can see. But he’s not ahead of schedule. So let’s not say that.”

Those words directly contradicted general manager Nico Harrison’s comments in July, when Harrison said Irving was “ahead of schedule” thanks to his relentless rehab routine. Kidd’s insistence on patience appeared designed to cool off expectations. But Saturday’s remark — hoping for a return “in the year of ’25” — suggests that urgency and optimism have begun to take hold inside the organization.

The Mavericks, who entered the weekend still without Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and missing their lead guard since March, are clearly eager for stability. Irving’s recovery timeline, once treated as strongly likely to carry into 2026, has come under further speculation,

Kyrie Irving’s Process and Perspective

Irving, 33, has maintained an even tone throughout the recovery process, saying his goal is not just to return, but to return stronger.

“I’ve been clear: I’m trying to be better than I was before, and that’s a hard task,” Irving said on media day. “I felt like I was in a great rhythm, able to play 40-plus minutes. Now it’s about getting back mentally. Physically, my talent and skill will catch up over time.”

Irving admitted the process has been “up and down emotionally,” but he’s taken advice from others who have endured similar injuries.

“The best advice I got was to take my time. No timeline is perfect. Don’t compare it to anyone else — just enjoy the process. That’s what I’ve been doing.”

Before the injury, Irving was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists last season, providing Dallas with a stabilizing force in the backcourt. His absence has created both a void and an opportunity for rookie Cooper Flagg, who’s been asked to handle the ball more as the team experiments with new lineups.

Kidd said he envisions Irving’s eventual pairing with Flagg as a seamless one, describing their skills as complementary — Irving’s elite scoring and shot creation balanced by Flagg’s versatility and size.

“He creates space on the floor for Cooper, and vice versa,” Kidd said.

A Changed Message

This is not the first time the organization’s messaging around Irving’s recovery has shifted. During Summer League, Harrison called him “ahead of schedule.”

On media day, Kidd publicly rebuked that phrasing, calling it inaccurate and “unfair.” And now, after a 2-4 start to the regular season, Kidd’s tone has pivoted again — this time toward hope, not restraint.

Irving has continued to go through workouts with assistant coach Phil Handy, but these sessions happen without observers present. Only Irving knows how close he is to making his return, but as it stands, the desired messaging appears to have a sense of tempered expectations with room to pleasantly surprise.

Irving has said the experience has made him more mindful of longevity, both as a player and a person.

“I have to be pretty crazy and maniacal to come back (from) knee surgery after knee surgery — this is the fourth one,” he said earlier this year. “I don’t take that for granted. I know there is going to be a time when I have to look myself in the mirror and be honest. Now is not that time.”

He also reaffirmed his long-term goals, saying he remains “singularly focused on winning championships and being the best I can be.”

The Countdown to “’25”

For the Mavericks, Kidd’s words now effectively set an expectation — one the organization had carefully avoided placing on Irving’s shoulders.

Whether that optimism comes from internal medical progress or external urgency is unclear, but it’s a departure from the cautious tone that has defined the past seven months.

If Irving does make it back before the end of 2025, it would mark roughly nine months post-surgery — the earliest point in a typical ACL recovery timeline. And while Kidd’s phrasing left room for flexibility, it also reflected what many around the team are feeling: they’re ready for Kyrie to return.

As Kidd put it bluntly, “We just can’t wait to get Kai back.”

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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