After the latest PR debacle to come out of Dallas in the wake of the Luka Dončić trade, the Dallas Mavericks are trying to counter the negative vibes engulfing their franchise by spreading some good news.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Dallas point guard Kyrie Irving, who suffered an ACL tear on March 3 and has successfully undergone surgery, might return by the middle of next season. He is expected back on the court by January.

“The expectation is that [Irving] will play a good chunk of next season,” Charania said. “There’s optimism that he will be back by January. Before that, he has a $44 million player option. That’s the next situation that Nico Harrison and the Mavericks will have to deal with. The goal for the Mavericks has been to rip up Irving’s player option and give him a three-year deal to align him with Nico Harrison’s three remaining years on his contract and Anthony Davis’ three years.”

If Irving makes a comeback by January, he will turn 34 shortly thereafter, raising concerns about his performance after such a significant injury at this stage of his career.

Dallas may not have an option but to re-sign Irving for another multi-year contract, pushing all-in for this period, convinced they can win a championship alongside players like Davis, who also has a history of injuries. This situation is particularly precarious for the franchise given how others perceive their recent trades and decisions.

In the postseason, these speculations regarding Irving’s timeline will hang heavily over the Mavericks as discussions about Dončić’s future resurface. His excellence is crucial to their playoff aspirations.

For more updates, stay tuned as we learn about Irving’s recovery journey.