Haliburton, Irving and other NBA superstar injury returns to watch for the 2026-27 season

As the 2026-27 NBA season approaches, several key players are preparing to return to the floor following extended periods of injury.

After missing all of last season with a Achilles injury, Tyrese Haliburton is set to rejoin the Indiana Pacers as they look to bounce back from a tough campaign. Meanwhile, 34-year-old Kyrie Irving makes his return to the Dallas Mavericks, aiming to team up with star Cooper Flagg and propel the franchise back into playoff contention.

Other marquee players face a more uncertain timeline for their season debuts. Notably, Golden State Warriors Jimmy Butler III enters his 16th year in the NBA -- and the final season of his current contract -- focused on making a key impact once healthy.

With an 82-game schedule ahead, our NBA insiders assess the health of these featured stars, examining who is positioned for an opening-week comeback and who will require close monitoring as the season unfolds.

Back in action

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

It has been 15 months since Tyrese Haliburton last appeared in an NBA game after exiting Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals with an Achilles injury, and the landscape of the Eastern Conference is completely different. The defending champs are now in the East, a new-look team in Philly has formed, and a few other Midwest teams have continued to rise. Haliburton led the Pacers to back-to-back conference finals trips in 2024 and '25 and was one game away from winning the championship, but will his presence once again immediately vault Indiana back into the conversation among the East's contenders? He has had extended time to recover and said recently he has been chomping at the bit to get back on the court. Indiana may take it slow with their superstar to start the season with the hope that come playoff time, the Pacers will be in position to shock the league again. -- Jamal Collier

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

When Damian Lillard returns to the court for the first time since the 2025 playoffs, it'll be a homecoming, being back in Portland for the first time in three years. But two questions remain: what does Lillard have left at 36 years old, coming off a torn Achilles, and how does he fit in with a very different Blazers team compared to the one he left? These Blazers are coming off their first playoff appearance since 2021, led by a defense-first identity and All-Star Deni Avdija. Now the Blazers will be reincorporating Lillard and their newest guard, Ja Morant, to the backcourt while trying to build off the success of last year's team. -- Collier

Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

With Dallas destined for a lottery pick, the decision was made during last All-Star break to put Irving's return on hold until this season. He will be 19 months removed from tearing the ACL in his right knee when training camp begins, and Irving has been ramping up for his return by playing in summer pickup games, generating Instagram highlights that fuel hope he can instantly be a co-star alongside Cooper Flagg.

Teams across the league are intrigued by how, or if, the 34-year-old Irving fits in the Mavericks' long-term plans as the franchise prioritizes building around its teenage prodigy. A healthy Irving, who has averaged 25.5 points and 5.1 assists per game in a Mavs uniform, could be a prime target for contenders before the trade deadline if new Dallas president Masai Ujiri is willing to engage in those discussions. -- Tim MacMahon

Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets

The veteran point guard told Andscape back in July that he's back on the court "full-time, ramping up, feeling good" and expects to be on the floor in October when Houston opens the preseason in Macao, China. VanVleet brings back stability and offensive facilitation for a team that struggled late in games to hold on to leads once opponents loaded up to slow down Kevin Durant. A positive coming from VanVleet's absence last season was more development opportunities for young guards Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, players who gained valuable experience that should carry over into 2026-27. If he doesn't suffer any setbacks in his return, VanVleet should shine as the chief setup man for Durant and Alperen Sengun. -- Michael C. Wright

Looking past setbacks

Steven Adams, Houston Rockets

The Rockets ranked No. 1 in offensive rebounding during Adams' first year in Houston (2024-25) and maintained that top ranking in 2025-26 despite the center playing in just 32 games before an ankle injury that required January surgery ended his campaign. Adams told New Zealand outlet Weekend Sport with Jason Pine that "we're tracking that way" when asked in August if he would be healthy enough to start Houston's season. The Rockets could use Adams' leadership and toughness, and his elite rebounding consistently creates second-chance scoring opportunities (Houston has ranked in the top three in second-chance points for two consecutive seasons). Defensively, the 33-year-old serves as the unit's quarterback and anchor in the paint, allowing Houston's wing defenders to clamp down aggressively on the perimeter. Behind starter Alperen Sengun and Adams, Houston is thin at the center position. -- Wright

DeJounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans

All expectations are that Murray is a full go for training camp. The point guard returned from a ruptured right Achilles tendon a few games after the All-Star break and averaged 16.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 48.4% shooting in 14 games. He played four straight games of 30 or more minutes during mid-March.

The Pelicans did not make any major moves this offseason, believing that their core of young up-and-coming players can shine when healthy. New Orleans' biggest move was hiring defensive-minded Jamahl Mosley as head coach, who is also known for his developmental strengths. If Murray can return to form before the Achilles injury, Mosley will have a two-way point guard who will steer a group that features Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, Herbert Jones, Saddiq Bey, Bennedict Mathurin and Jordan Poole. Murray and Fears, who have been working out together this summer, could be a nice one-two punch at point guard. -- Ohm Youngmisuk

Walker Kessler, Los Angeles Lakers

After playing an average of 65.3 games per season in his first three seasons in the league -- hitting the NBA awards-eligible threshold on the whole -- Kessler played just five games in 2025-26 for the Jazz because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

In his introductory news conference after being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, Kessler said the surgery on his shoulder was a long time coming.

"Actually, I injured it back in college," Kessler said in Las Vegas during summer league. "And then I was playing with it for a while. And then last year, it got a little worse. And then we decided it would be best timing to get it done then."

He is coming into his first season with L.A. after signing a four-year, $130 million deal fully healthy and ready to contribute from day one as Luka Doncic's hand-picked big.

"Sitting out a whole year definitely puts a lot of things in perspective," Kessler said. "The heart grows fond in absence. I think falling in love with this game again and just realizing I just want to go win. I just want to play to win."

He'll be counted on to do so, more than ever before in his career. The Jazz had been playing for the lottery the last few seasons. The Lakers, coming off back-to-back 50-win seasons and losing LeBron James in free agency, are aiming for championship contention. -- Dave McMenamin

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid's health has been the NBA's biggest question mark since entering the league. He has missed full seasons, large chunks of time and has still managed to carve out MVP-worthy seasons.

The last two seasons have been especially frustrating, as he has played just 57 of a possible 164 games with an assortment of injuries, most notably his left knee. But even after the 76ers were embarrassingly eliminated at the hands of the eventual champions last playoffs, he still felt optimistic.

"I came in hoping for the best. We figured out the knee. It hasn't been an issue," Embiid said in his end-of-season news conference.

"If it wasn't for the oblique or some of the other stuff, it could've been different as far as how many games I would've played. We came into the season thinking that there was not much left based on the last two years now I'm sitting here not even worried about my knee."

Then, he didn't know Jaylen Brown would be arriving via trade or LeBron James would choose Philadelphia for perhaps the final chapter of his career. The dubious distinction Embiid holds of being the one MVP who has not reached the conference finals could finally end if his postseason sentiments hold actual weight. -- Vincent Goodwill

Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers

As ESPN first reported in mid-June, Luka Doncic was cleared for full basketball activities in late May, about 2½ weeks after the Lakers' playoff run ended in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Doncic's Grade 2 left hamstring strain cost him and the Lakers a chance at continuing the momentum the team built through March, with him missing the entirety of L.A.'s postseason effort.

He banked plenty of rest in the offseason by opting out of FIBA World Cup qualifiers with the Slovenian national team in order to spend time with his daughters and showed off his continued trim physique when he hosted his teammates for a player-run minicamp in August.

He'll look to back up his 2025-26 scoring title by making more noise in the 2027 playoffs. He has only been on the court for one postseason win in his season and a half with the Lakers thus far. -- McMenamin

Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah Jazz

Jackson was briefly active in a Jazz uniform after Utah acquired him in a surprising blockbuster deal before last season's trade deadline. He underwent surgery to remove a growth in his left knee after only three games, sitting the rest of the season as Utah maintained the lottery position that landed them the No. 2 pick, guard Darryn Peterson.

Jackson spent most of the summer training in Salt Lake City -- aside from a trip to Lauri Markkanen's native Finland along with guard Keyonte George, coach Will Hardy and owner Ryan Smith -- in preparation to be a foundational piece as the Jazz pivot to being as competitive. The former Defensive Player of the Year's presence in the Utah frontcourt is even more essential after center Walker Kessler's departure via a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers. -- MacMahon

Trae Young, Washington Wizards

Trae Young said he was ready to get back on the court after seeing AJ Dybantsa make his debut at summer league back in July. The star point guard is itching to show people not only what he can do alongside Anthony Davis and the top pick in the draft but that he is worth every penny of a four-year, $212 million contract from Washington.

"When you've been to where I've been to and you know the type of player you are, you know what group you should be in," Young told ESPN. "And [when] you're not being talked about it, that's motivating as a player... I'm very motivated to be back in the conversation where I should be and where I've been before."

Young is cleared and ready to go for the start of training camp after missing time last season due to MCL and quadriceps injuries in his right leg. He played in just five games after the Hawks traded their franchise point guard to Washington in January, but the Wizards also were in rebuilding mode. Young says that the Wizards will be getting the best version of the former All-Star point guard, who turns 28 on Sept. 19.

"You'll see it," Young repeated when asked what the best version of him looks like. "I don't even have to tell you, you'll see it. Everything. People think I'm just a ball-dominant person. It's hilarious to me. The best version may not be the most points, most assists. It could be... but at the same time, I'm working on so many things right now that I just can't wait to play." -- Youngmisuk

Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

Williams, whose maximum extension of his rookie contract kicks in this season, spent his summer working on his body and searching for solutions for the recurring hamstring issues that ruined his 2025-26 campaign. He missed the first 19 games while recovering from surgery on his shooting wrist after playing through that injury during the Thunder's 2024 title run, and then Williams was sidelined for extended stretches by repeated strains to both hamstrings. Williams' health might have been the difference between Oklahoma City repeating and being eliminated by the Spurs in the West finals. The hope is he can return to his form from 2024-25, when Williams was third-team All-NBA and second-team All-Defense. -- MacMahon

Recovery ongoing

Ja Morant, Portland Trail Blazers

Morant played a total of 79 games across his final three seasons in Memphis, a run that featured an ever-changing supporting cast. The change of scenery to Portland, with its talented roster, places a motivated Morant in position for a bounce-back season.

And Blazers fans should prepare for one. Yes, Memphis ruled out Morant in March due to an ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. But multiple social media posts by Morant show the 27-year-old guard has been back in the lab since June.

Paired in the backcourt with Damian Lillard and flanked by Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija with a promising young big man in Donovan Clingan, Morant won't be tasked with serving as new coach Micah Nori's lone offensive option. -- Wright

Jimmy Butler III, Golden State Warriors

Butler has been slowly increasing his on-court work while traveling the globe this summer, and the most recent strength tests on his right ACL recovery have shown notable progress, according to league sources. But Butler still has extensive rehab work ahead. He is expected to be limited to individual court and strength work when training camp opens in a month, league sources said, with the 36-year-old forward needing more time to be cleared for a full contact setting. A return in January or February can be considered an optimistic target, but there are plenty of checkpoints ahead before getting that clearance. The Warriors' lead medical decision-maker, Rick Celebrini, is noted for a cautious approach. -- Anthony Slater

Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards

Davis played in just 20 games last season and did not play for Washington after he was traded in February. But he has been cleared from the hand injury he suffered last season and is ready to go for the start of camp.

Davis was seen in July practicing with Wizards coaches at the team's practice court in Las Vegas during summer league and the center looked in shape and happy. New Wizards assistant coach Patrick Ewing, the Hall of Fame center, was keeping a close eye on Davis.

Davis should have no shortage of motivation entering the season and will be eager to remind everyone how he remains one of the best big men in the game. After being traded twice in the last two seasons, Davis is looking to show he is worth a contract extension worth four years and $275 million. Rich Paul and the Wizards have decided to table talks on a potential extension until after the season starts, wanting to see how things go early on for both sides.

Washington is hoping Davis with Trae Young will be exactly what its young core of players needs to make the leap to the playoffs. Alongside top overall pick AJ Dybantsa, the Wizards are ready to compete this season in the East after losing 60 or more games in each of the past three seasons. A healthy Davis entering camp is the first big step in that direction. -- Youngmisuk

Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies

Edey appears to be on track for the start of the season after undergoing left ankle surgery in March to address discomfort and bone stress, the second procedure on the ankle over a span of nine months. Edey played just 11 games last season, but the 7-foot-4 center is coming off a promising All-Rookie campaign in 2024-25, during which he averaged 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks and significantly improved down the stretch.

Edey, paired with third overall pick Cameron Boozer, could give Memphis one of the league's most formidable frontcourts because his role is expected to increase. If Edey returns to form, it wouldn't be a surprise for him to join the Most Improved Player race. -- Wright

Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

After attempting to play through a partially torn left meniscus in the middle part of last season, Sabonis finally opted for surgery in February. That was done, in part, to ensure he would be ready for training camp next month. Sabonis skipped Lithuania's FIBA qualifying this summer to complete the later stages of his rehab, but league sources indicated the three-time All-Star should be a full go for the 2026-27 NBA season.

The Kings explored the trade market for Sabonis this summer and he was open to being moved, but the two sides have reconvened and recommitted in the interim, and it is anticipated he will be the starting center to open the season. -- Slater