Kyrie Irving is cleared to return to NBA action for the Dallas Mavericks more than a year after suffering a torn ACL. The veteran guard has no restrictions ahead of the NBA China Games 2026,

Mavericks coach Dusty May has been encouraged by what he has seen from Irving in his first camp with the team. He recently dropped a major hint that he could make Irving’s long-awaited return possible on Friday against the Houston Rockets.

“Dusty May says Kyrie Irving will play in one of the two games in China. Has yet to be determined which,” Bobby Karalla of DLLS Sports tweeted.

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Irving last played on March 3, 2025, before the knee injury ended his season. He missed the entire 2025-26 campaign as Dallas finished 24-52, but he has been practicing since training camp opened September 26.