Dereck Lively II’s extended absence is putting his Mavericks future in jeopardy

Noah Weber argues that Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II's prolonged injury absence threatens his long-term future with the franchise. Lively has not played through the first eight games of the 2026-27 season as he rehabs from a second right foot surgery, leaving him without an official timetable to return. Dallas declined to offer him a rookie-scale contract extension before this season, which positions him to become a restricted free agent next summer.

Weber notes that recurring injuries have limited Lively to just 98 appearances since being drafted in 2023, including seven games last season. While head coach Dusty May recently indicated the center is making progress, Lively remains sidelined from practice and has not played since November 2025.