Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has reportedly undergone surgery on the right foot injury that limited him to 36 games (29 starts) in the 2024-25 season, NBA insider Marc Stein reported Tuesday. His foot was placed in a boot after the procedure, and the 21-year-old is expected to be healthy for training camp.
Dereck Lively II Joins Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis On Injury Report
Lively was selected 12th overall by the Mavs in the 2023 NBA draft out of Duke. The 7-foot-1 big man finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 23.5 minutes per contest in 55 games (42 starts) of the 2023-24 campaign.
Last season, Lively averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 23.1 minutes while shooting 70.2% from the field and 63% from the foul line.
He recorded eight double-doubles and scored a season-high 21 points in Dallas’ 117-111 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 9.
Lively joins a growing list of key players who are injured for the Mavericks. All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving is recovering from a torn ACL that will keep him sideline until at least January 2026, while superstar forward Anthony Davis underwent eye surgery this summer.
In April, Stein and Jake Fischer reported that Lively’s injury “caused what league sources describe as some significant tensions within the organization, including a notable blowup between director of player health and performance Johann Bilsborough and athletic performance director Keith Belton.”
Mavericks May Allow Lively To Attempt 3-Pointers Next Season
During No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg’s introductory press conference, minority owner Mark Cuban hinted at a strategic change involving Lively, who could shift into a modern stretch five center role. Cuban’s plan includes Lively taking two to three 3-point attempts per game.
“Mark Cuban just talked about Dereck Lively II potentially taking 2-3 threes per game next season and giving Dallas the ability to play five-out,” Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban posted recently on X.
According to Basketball Reference, Lively has attempted just two 3-pointers in the regular season over his two-year career. His lone deep shot was made during Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
Lively has demonstrated his long-range shooting potential in pregame warmups. His impressive shot from beyond the arc against the Boston Celtics might have been a fluke.
However, no one will know for sure until Cuban’s vision becomes a real thing. Either way, this may not matter if he is unable to stay healthy next season. That is a must if he wants to reach his full potential.
