DALLAS — Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks’ tall and talented center whose career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries, is headed for season-ending surgery on his troublesome right foot. The team announced that the procedure will be performed by Dr. James Calder in London after Lively sought multiple medical opinions due to lingering discomfort.
This marks a continuation of a challenging run for the 21-year-old, who already underwent a prior procedure on the same foot during the offseason. His latest absence comes after his last appearance, a 118-115 win over New Orleans on November 21, followed by a back-to-back absence amid a knee issue. The newer foot problem surfaced after his return from that knee injury, compounding his recovery timeline.
By the end of his third NBA season, Lively is projected to have missed 148 of 246 games. He sat out 27 games as a rookie but contributed during Dallas’s postseason run, which culminated in the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since the 2011 championship, a five-game series loss to Boston. Injuries sidelined him for 46 games last season, and the 2024-25 campaign will see him miss 75 games overall.
When healthy, Lively has shown production and potential. At 7-foot-1, he established himself as a solid pick-and-roll partner for Luka Dončić before the Mavericks swapped their star player in a high-profile trade last season.
Beyond Lively’s injury struggles, the team has navigated a broader upheaval: a controversial front-office shakeup that saw the firing of former general manager Nico Harrison, a move that coincided with Dallas’s rough start in its first season without Dončić. Lively’s tenure has also limited opportunities to share the court with other notable teammates, including Duke alumni and recent rookie Cooper Flagg, who was selected No. 1 overall in the draft following Dallas’s draft lottery win this summer.
Overall, Lively has averaged 8.4 points and 7.0 rebounds across 98 career games, a résumé that both highlights his potential and underscores the durability hurdles he has faced.
And this is where the conversation deepens: what should teams and young players prioritize—short-term availability or long-term health—and how should organizations balance bold, high-variance moves with the need to protect developing talents like Lively? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Associated Press
