Kyrie Irving will not play Wednesday against the Pelicans due to rest, per the Mavericks' injury report. The guard is listed day-to-day, leaving Dallas to open the game without him in the backcourt.
What happened
The Mavericks listed Kyrie Irving as day-to-day on Wednesday's 6:39 p.m. ET injury report, with the issue marked as rest. Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reported that Irving will not play Wednesday against the Pelicans. No previous status is announced for this entry. The report does not list a diagnosis beyond rest, and no further detail on the decision is included.
What it means for the Mavericks
Dallas hosts New Orleans on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the game airing on NBA TV. Irving's season line is not yet announced, and the team record is 0-0 with the 2026-27 season not yet started, so there is no with-or-without split to draw on. Based on minutes logged without him, Cooper Flagg (33.5 minutes, 21.0 points), Anthony Davis (31.3 minutes, 20.4 points) and P.J. Washington (31.0 minutes, 14.2 points) have carried the heaviest rotation load, with Naji Marshall, Max Christie and Brandon Williams also seeing extended minutes.
What to watch
Irving's expected return is listed as Oct. 16, which would put him back for Dallas's next game after Wednesday. The team's next injury report will show whether that timeline holds. Several other Mavericks are also day-to-day, including Daniel Gafford, Cooper Flagg, Marcus Sasser, Dereck Lively II, Morez Johnson Jr. and Santi Aldama, which will shape the rotation alongside Irving's status over the coming games.
Is Kyrie Irving playing vs Pelicans?
No. Irving is day-to-day with a rest issue and will not play Wednesday against the Pelicans, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
When will Kyrie Irving be back?
His expected return is listed as Oct. 16. No further timeline has been announced.