Report: Mavs' Kyrie Irving Day-to-Day with Foot Injury Diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis

Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving has been playing through plantar fasciitis in his foot since suffering the injury on March 8, as Shams Charania of The Athletic reported:

"I'm told this is not considered to be a structural matter—more of a day-to-day, pain tolerance, nagging injury that he's playing through," Charania reported.

Irving is expected to play Friday against the Charlotte Hornets after missing Wednesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. He also missed three games earlier this month before returning for two.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on March 20 that the 30-year-old was seen wearing a walking boot after Dallas' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that night.

Irving said at the time it was "just precautionary," though he noted there was a concern that he had reaggravated a foot injury.

The Mavs acquired Irving from the Brooklyn Nets prior to this year's trade deadline, though the deal has not paid off in the way the team had hoped. Dallas has not been able to climb the standings in the Western Conference, tying for eighth with a 36-37 record.

Irving has appeared in 13 games for the Mavs, and while his averages of 28.4 points and 6.1 assists are impressive, the team is only 6-7 with him in the lineup. To make matters worse, his partnership with star point guard Luka Dončić hasn't resulted in success despite their offensive brilliance, as Dallas is just 3-6 when the two are on the floor together.

Amid the Mavs' subpar performance in the second half of the year, a decision looms as to whether Irving will re-sign with the team this summer or head elsewhere as a free agent.

Had Dallas realized the success it was hoping for, perhaps the eight-time All-Star would have been more inclined to remain with the Mavs on a long-term deal.

Irving will do his part to get the team back on track, but he will likely be limited by his foot injury over the final few weeks of the season. With Dončić also just getting back from a thigh injury, Dallas could continue to struggle as it tries to hold onto a playoff spot.