Nico Harrison chose to shorten the Dallas Mavericks’ title contention window in February when he traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Dallas general manager said he believed that with a team built around 31-year-old Anthony Davis and 32-year-old Kyrie Irving,

If Irving can't return until March 2026, then the Mavericks are in store for another season where tanking might be the best option. The whole reason Harrison went out and got Davis was to create a dynamic pairing with Irving, but with the latter out of the picture for what could be a year, now what?

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, the team announced Tuesday, an injury that is likely to see him miss the rest of the season.