‘Coming Very Soon’: Dusty May Updates Santi Aldama, Sergio De Larrea As Kyrie Irving Sits vs. Sacramento Kings
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving is out for the Dallas Mavericks’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night with left knee injury management, and Mavericks coach Dusty May said before tip-off that the schedule was “a big part of it.”
Dallas listed Irving as questionable on Sunday’s report and downgraded him to doubtful Monday afternoon before ruling him out. Monday is the Mavericks’ fourth game in eight days. Irving played 34 minutes and 53 seconds in Friday’s 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets and scored 35 points.
May had better news on Santi Aldama, who moved from out to doubtful on Monday’s report as he works back from right knee surgery. On Friday, May said Aldama had practiced with the Texas Legends a couple of times and played in the team’s stay-ready game, which the staff calls the Hunt Club.
“I haven’t heard any updates on [De Larrea]. I just see he’ll be re-evaluated soon,” May said. “Santi … he’s moving closer and closer. I think for him, it’s coming very soon.”
Monday marks the second game Irving has missed this season. Through five games, he is averaging 21.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 28.6 minutes while shooting 52.7% from the field, 39.0% from three-point range, and 13-of-13 from the free-throw line. Friday was his fifth game since he tore the ACL in his left knee on March 3, 2025.
Santi Aldama And Sergio De Larrea Still Working Back
Aldama has not played since Feb. 4. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on March 17 while with the Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas acquired him in a July 8 trade. He has yet to make his Mavericks debut.
Sergio De Larrea is out with a right knee sprain. The rookie guard appeared in four of Dallas’ first six games and averaged 5.3 points in 11.5 minutes, going 3-of-5 from three-point range. May said Friday that De Larrea would be re-evaluated this week.
Kyrie Irving’s Absence And The Rest Of The Injury Report
With a roster full of players who have similar skill sets and are at similar stages of their careers, May said, every rotation decision gets harder. Some of those decisions get made for him when players are out.
“When you have some players out, it’s even more of a luxury because, obviously, with Kai out, it gives a couple of the other young guys much greater opportunity,” May explained. “So, and we’re very confident in those guys, and the experience is important for them.”
Tarik Biberović is out with right heel bursitis and has not appeared in a regular-season NBA game. Dereck Lively II remains out after right foot surgery and has not played since Nov. 21, 2025. Naji Marshall is off the report after he was available Friday but did not play, following an illness that kept him out of the two games before. Caleb Martin is available while playing with a splint on his right thumb.
Sacramento enters at 0-6. The Kings list Zach LaVine (right elbow inflammation) and Dylan Cardwell (calf) as day-to-day, while Keegan Murray (left ankle capsulitis) and Maxime Raynaud (right patella subluxation) are out. Ben Simmons is out for the season with an Achilles injury.
Tip-off at American Airlines Center is set for 7 p.m. CT. Dallas plays at the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday and hosts the Utah Jazz on Friday in its second NBA Cup group-play game.
