The 2026 NBA preseason is in full swing, and all 30 teams are showcasing their rosters. Each team has played at least two games, featuring regular starters, bench players, and rookies.
The preseason also marks the return of several former All-Star guards who missed the entire 2025-26 season due to injuries. These players include Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Fred VanVleet of the Houston Rockets.
Each guard returns to his team after missing last season. All four will have opportunities to make an impact during the 2026-27 campaign. Let’s examine what each player missed last season and what they could contribute during their comebacks.
Tyrese Haliburton returns to the Pacers following the franchise’s worst season in franchise history. Indiana missed the playoffs in 2025-26, won just 19 games, and lost its protected lottery pick in a trade deadline deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Haliburton was the face of the franchise from 2022 to 2025. Now, he has an opportunity to help the Pacers return to championship contention. Indiana reached the NBA Finals in 2025 before struggling throughout last season.
Haliburton led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference title before they fell to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals. His return could provide the franchise with a major boost after a difficult year.
The All-Star guard is looking to bounce back after suffering a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. His recovery and return to form will be crucial to Indiana’s hopes of rebuilding its momentum.
Kyrie Irving returns to the Dallas Mavericks after missing the end of the 2024-25 season and the entire 2025-26 campaign. Irving tore his Achilles in February 2025, shortly after the infamous Luka Dončić trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Irving has not played in an NBA game for more than a year and a half. During his rehabilitation, the Mavericks lost in the second round of the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament and won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.
Dallas subsequently missed both the playoffs and the play-in tournament in 2025-26. Despite finishing among the league’s worst teams, the Mavericks saw promising development from Cooper Flagg, their No. 1 overall pick.
Irving now returns to join Flagg as part of a new-look Dallas duo. His scoring ability and experience could help accelerate the young star’s development.
The Mavericks are hoping to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2023-24 season. That campaign ended with Dallas reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since its 2011 championship season.
Damian Lillard returns to the Trail Blazers after missing the entire 2025-26 season. He was recovering from a torn Achilles suffered while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Lillard rejoined Portland last offseason but did not appear in any games. He spent his entire career with the Blazers from 2012 to 2023 before requesting a trade during the 2023 offseason.
His next two seasons were spent in Milwaukee. Lillard helped the Bucks reach the playoffs in consecutive years, but the team suffered first-round exits both times.
Lillard now enters the 2026-27 season hoping to help Portland reach the playoffs again. He will join newcomer and former All-Star Ja Morant alongside last season’s All-Star, Deni Avdija.
The Blazers are looking to improve after a first-round exit against the San Antonio Spurs, who went on to win the Western Conference. Lillard’s return could provide the team with additional scoring, leadership, and late-game experience.
Fred VanVleet returns to the Rockets after missing the entire 2025-26 season. He spent the year recovering from an offseason torn meniscus.
VanVleet now has the opportunity to play alongside future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, whom Houston acquired during the 2025 NBA offseason. Their partnership could strengthen a Rockets team looking to make another postseason run.
Houston reached the playoffs last season but lost in the first round to an injury-plagued Los Angeles Lakers team without Luka Dončić. VanVleet’s return gives the Rockets an experienced point guard who was absent from their rotation throughout last season’s campaign.
His veteran presence could play a major role in Houston’s offensive system. VanVleet’s decision-making, perimeter shooting, and leadership will be valuable assets for a young roster with postseason ambitions.
Haliburton, Irving, Lillard, and VanVleet each have something to prove after missing significant time with injuries. Their returns could influence their teams’ playoff hopes and reshape the balance of power across the NBA.
Haliburton wants to restore Indiana’s championship aspirations, while Irving hopes to help Dallas build around Flagg. Lillard is looking to strengthen Portland’s playoff push, and VanVleet could provide Houston with the veteran leadership it lacked last season.
The question remains whether these four guards can return to their previous levels of production. Their recoveries, team chemistry, and ability to regain their rhythm will determine how successful their comebacks become.
The NBA preseason has already delivered plenty of excitement, but the regular season will provide the real test. The 2026-27 campaign begins October 20, when these teams will start turning their offseason expectations into results.
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