MAVS NEWS:

[Smitty]

The average recovery time for a torn ACL in professional athletes is typically 6 to 12 months, depending on the severity of the injury, the success of surgery, and the rehabilitation process.
    •    Return to sport: Many athletes start light training around 6 months, but full competition-level recovery often takes closer to 9-12 months to reduce the risk of re-injury.
    •    Rehabilitation milestones:
    •    0-2 weeks: Reduce swelling, regain knee mobility
    •    3-6 weeks: Strengthening exercises, light weight-bearing
    •    3-6 months: Sport-specific training, agility drills
    •    6-12 months: Gradual return to full activity

Some high-profile athletes have returned in as little as 6-9 months, but rushing the process increases the risk of re-tearing the ligament. Many teams follow a 9-month rule to ensure full recovery.


So, expected return around December? Tough!

Kyrie tore his ACL March 3rd & had surgery March 26th. In the last 10 years, the average return to play in the NBA is 11.6 months (350 days). The fastest return to play is 9-10 months.

The most optimistic outlook is Kyrie coming back around Christmas, which is exactly 9 months post-surgery. The trade deadline is the first/second week in February, so about 10.5 months post-surgery.

My guess is that the Mavs are operating as if Kyrie will return between Christmas and the trade deadline, best case scenario. Impossible to know until Kyrie starts hitting key milestones in his recovery.

I don’t have any opinion on it at all, just thought I’d post some dates and data so that people can have some kind of baseline for even the most optimistic expectations.