Jason Kidd Defends Mavericks Amid Claims of Overworking Kyrie Irving Before ACL Injury
The Dallas Mavericks may have just lost their competitive edge for the next couple of years. Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in a recent game, sidelining him for the rest of this season and possibly a significant portion of next season. The injury occurred during the Mavericks’ defeat to the Sacramento Kings and adds to a disastrous 30-day stretch for the team’s fans.
Many fans had anticipated the injury after Irving consistently played almost 40 minutes per game following the Doncic trade. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd vehemently rejected this implication, launching into a passionate defense of the team.
“The idea that the injury happened because of overworking him is completely false and misleading. We’re talking about one play, not a culmination of earlier plays. He stepped on (Jonas) Valanciunas’ foot—just a freak accident. That’s how it should be covered, but instead, it’s being twisted into conspiracy theories,” Kidd stated.
“We expect our stars to play heavy minutes. This isn’t about resting players. Kai is our leader, and he played at an elite level, possibly the best basketball of his career. It’s perfectly acceptable for him to play 40 minutes. We can’t criticize players for not playing enough, and then criticize them for playing too much. The media is misinterpreting this.”
“In that same game, two players sustained injuries from sprained ankles, both from stepping on someone’s foot. We need to stick to the facts, not opinions. Did [Kyrie] complain about the minutes? No. Did the fans complain? No, because they paid to watch him play. The injury occurred, and the reality is that stepping on Valanciunas’ foot was just a freak accident—nothing more.”
“The fact that Kyrie played the most minutes or is among the top three shouldn’t be a problem. He’s well-conditioned and embraces the role. Are we acknowledging that? No, instead we’re falsely claiming he’s being overworked.”
“That’s simply not the case. It’s his job to play, and he loves to play. Playing 40 minutes at 32 years old over a month is fine. This wasn’t about the entire season. Sometimes, I think we’re stretching things too far, or not telling the full truth just to get attention. The reality is it was a freak accident early in the game.”
“We should be encouraging our athletes to play more minutes and more games. But does the media do that? No, they twist things into a narrative that’s not true. It’s bad reporting, and I strongly disagree with anyone suggesting we’re running our players into the ground.”
“Forget the money; this is basketball. We all compete to win. Fans pay to watch the stars, and Kai was on the court. With injuries, his minutes increased, but as the season progresses, the games get bigger, and stars play more to prepare for the playoffs. That’s just how it works.”
Kidd made these comments before the Mavericks’ game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which they lost by a significant margin (107-137), highlighting the team’s struggles to remain competitive in the Western Conference.
While it was indeed an unfortunate freak injury, the fact that Irving was logging heavy minutes, especially considering his injury history and back issues this season, raised eyebrows. The Mavericks relied on his output, but his body was at risk, and the team took a gamble on his durability.
Irving had been averaging 27.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 39.4 minutes per game (across nine appearances) since the trade.
With Irving now sidelined for an extended period, the Mavericks are facing their worst-case scenario following the Doncic trade. They no longer have the perimeter creators to stay competitive.