DALLAS — While the Dallas Mavericks hope they can find a co-star for Cooper Flagg in this year’s draft and are acutely aware of their limited draft capital in the future, the team’s record will have no impact on whether injured star guard Kyrie Irving plays again this season, coach Jason Kidd said Thursday.

“That has nothing to do with it,” Kidd said Thursday. “It’s about, for him, mentally and physically being able to play at the highest level in his mind. No one else’s.”

Kidd said the Mavericks likely won’t decide Irving’s status until after the All-Star break in mid-February.

“There isn’t anything new,” Kidd said. “I know there is lot of speculation going on. He is working extremely hard in rehab. I spent some time with him yesterday. He’s in good spirits. He feels great. At some point, there will be a timeline. Right now, there is no timeline. But spending time with him yesterday, he’s working extremely hard.”

Irving, 33, underwent surgery for a torn left ACL nearly 10 months ago. The typical recovery timetable for an NBA player returning from an ACL tear is nine to 12 months.

The Mavericks entered Thursday’s game against the Golden State Warriors in 12th place in the West. Their 18-26 record is the eighth-worst in the NBA, which would provide them a 26.3 percent chance of securing a top-four draft selection if it held. After this season, the Mavericks won’t have full control of their own first-round draft pick again until 2031.

Irving was playing at a high level last season before he got hurt in March. He earned the ninth All-Star selection of his career while averaging 24.7 points and 4.6 assists in 50 games. He signed a three-year, $119 million contract with the Mavericks in July, a deal that includes a player option in 2027-28. Irving is considered one of the Mavericks’ locker room leaders and has been an active presence on the sidelines this season despite being unable to play.

Before the Mavericks faced the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City on Nov. 1, Kidd expressed optimism that Irving could return before 2025 was over.

“We just can’t wait to get Kai back at some point,” Kidd said then. “Hopefully it’s in the year ’25, not ’26. But we’ll see what happens.”

Since then, Kidd has made clear there is no timetable for Irving’s return.

“He wants to play,” Kidd said. “But when you come back from an ACL, it’s a time thing. Mentally and physically, you want to be 100 percent. So for him, he’s doing both of those things at a high level. At some point, there will be a schedule.”