Over nine months have passed since fourth-year center Dereck Lively II underwent surgery that ended his season to treat persistent pain and soreness in his right foot. Despite this time, Lively has not yet been medically cleared to play as the Dallas Mavericks approach the start of training camp this Saturday, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
Lively, the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, made a notable impact in his rookie year with Dallas. He started 42 regular-season games and, alongside veteran Daniel Gafford, formed a strong center duo supporting stars Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving on the Mavericks team that reached the NBA Finals. Standing 7-foot-1, Lively impressed as a high-efficiency scorer in pick-and-roll and cutting plays—ranking in the top 10 among heavy-usage players—and as a rim protector, allowing a 58.5% field goal rate at the basket, comparing favorably to players like Evan Mobley and Bam Adebayo. A Duke product, Lively was viewed as one of the NBA’s most promising young big men, with expectations of a significant leap as he returned to the starting lineup early in his second season.
However, a stress fracture in his right ankle midway through the 2024-25 season, followed by several foot injuries and surgeries, has stalled his development. Over the past two seasons, he has appeared in only 43 games, including just seven in 2025-26, with his last game played on November 21.
Following his most recent surgery in December, the Mavericks had expressed optimism about his full recovery in time for training camp. Yet, his return to full strength has been slower than hoped. In June, on the podcast of Myles Turner and Breanna Stewart, Lively shared that he no longer needed mobility aids like a scooter or walking boot and was focused on rebuilding lower leg strength. Still, when he took part in a Mavericks youth camp weeks later, he said he was unable to run or jump, even six months post-surgery.
“I am really just thankful for the small milestones,” Lively told Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m able to move again, lift again and those things, it’s what I live on now. It’s those little wins is what I thrive on.”
New Mavericks GM Mike Schmitz mentioned on a radio show this summer that Lively has been working extremely hard and is regularly present at the facility, committed to returning to the court. “He’s doing everything in his power, and we’re just really proud of the progress he’s made and continuing to chip away at everything as we get closer to the start of camp,” Schmitz said.
As training camp nears, Lively remains in the process of “ramping up toward being cleared for basketball activity,” MacMahon reported. While this gradual progress is not alarming to the Mavericks’ new leadership team—including Masai Ujiri, Schmitz, and newly appointed head coach Dusty May—it raises doubts about Lively’s availability for the 2026-27 season opener next month.
Lively’s ongoing injury struggles, which have caused him to miss 148 out of 246 possible regular-season games since joining the NBA, have also sparked uncertainty about his future. He is in the final year of his rookie contract, set to earn $7.2 million, and is eligible for a contract extension. Unlike fellow 2023 draftees such as Victor Wembanyama and the Thompson brothers, who have already secured lucrative deals, Lively has yet to sign an extension despite reported early discussions. The deadline to finalize rookie-scale extensions for his draft class is October 19, just one day before the new season begins.
Whether the Mavericks, Lively, and his agency Klutch Sports can agree on an extension remains to be seen, as does when fans will next witness the talented big man on the court. Lively remains focused on a full, lasting recovery, aiming to solidify his role in the Mavericks’ young core alongside Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and 2026 first-round pick Morez Johnson Jr.
“I’m just waiting to see that my foot’s good,” Lively said in June. “Even when it’s good, I gotta wait even more to make sure I don’t have to do this again. I’m never going to rush back. I’m never going to worry about that. If I gotta take the things that the fans and the public gotta say about me, ‘I’m brittle. I’m all that.’ Cool. When I come back, don’t forget who I am.”
Fan Take: Dereck Lively II’s prolonged battle with injury is a pivotal storyline for basketball fans watching the Mavericks’ future unfold. His recovery and potential return could reinvigorate Dallas’ frontcourt and impact how young big men overcome adversity in the high-stakes NBA environment.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
