Kyrie Irving injury update: Latest on Dallas Mavericks point guard for Fantasy Basketball Season 2023
Kyrie Irving was sidelined during the Dallas Mavericks loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Abu Dhabi. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also said Irving will not play in their preseason game against Real Madrid. Irving is sitting with groin soreness. What does that mean for the regular season?
Kidd said Irving participated in some practice but is not ready for preseason action. His injury is just soreness and not too severe. Irving should be set for the regular season.
It may mean less usage in the early games, fantasy-wise. However, Irving is poised to be in the starting lineup on opening night. The Mavericks open their season with a home game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 25.
Irving and the Mavericks struggled to win after trading for the guard last season. However, Irving still put up solid numbers. He averaged 27.0 points per game. He was also available and played 38.2 minutes per game before the Mavericks started resting players for a better draft pick, a move they have since been fined for.
Kyrie Irving's fantasy outlook
Irving is still a solid option at guard on your fantasy basketball roster. He needs to stay healthy and available. He still has to play a season's worth of games since 2019, when he played 67 games for the Boston Celtics.
Since Irving’s main problem is availability, he shouldn't play the first few rounds. His groin injury could be a sign of things to come this season if Irving may rest games if the injury lingers.
Irving still produces when he gets on the floor. He averaged at least 26 points per game in every season since 2019. He is one of the best scorers in the league and can be a solid scoring option for your team from the guard position if you use your early picks on frontcourt players.
The Mavericks seem committed to building around Irving and Luka Doncic. Both guys are high-volume scorers and big usage guys.
Judging by the end of last season, Irving still had plenty of shots despite Doncic’s high usage. The Mavs used both players together multiple times. Irving could also see a boost in production if Doncic misses time due to his proficiency for technical fouls. Doncic is a fiery player who often gets tied up. He could miss games due to suspension or miss part of games when he is thrown out with two techs in one game. Irving could shine fantasy-wise in those situations.