Mavs' Kyrie Irving: Foot Injury Rehab Will Take 'Little Bit More Time Than I Thought'

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving provided a discouraging update regarding the foot injury that has sidelined him for the team's last two games.

He said Wednesday the situation is "not looking good" and that the recovery is "going to take a little bit more time than I thought."

The veteran guard has already suffered minor back and foot trouble since his arrival in Dallas ahead of the NBA trade deadline. That's one reason why adding Irving hasn't quite had its intended impact for the Mavericks, who are ninth in the Western Conference at 34-35.

Compounding matters for Dallas, Luka Dončić picked up a left thigh strain that forced him to miss multiple games.

In isolation, Irving has been excellent with the Mavs. Through 11 games, he's averaging 27.5 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 41.4 percent from beyond the arc.

His and Dončić's injury troubles have prevented Dallas' two best players from building the kind of on-court continuity that will be vital for the playoffs, though, and that's to say nothing of how the team is struggling just to solidify a top-six finish.

It largely goes without saying how important Irving is the rest of the way. The Mavericks need him to not only stay healthy but continue playing at an elite level to enjoy the kind of playoff run that will help to justify his trade to the team.