The Dallas Mavericks are moving into the season without a new deal for Dereck Lively II, and the reason is simple: they still don’t know when he’ll be ready.
Monday’s rookie-extension deadline came and went with no agreement for the 2023 first-round pick, leaving Lively to play out the fourth and final year of his rookie contract at $7,239,131. Dallas took him 12th overall in 2023, and for now, the franchise is choosing patience over commitment.
That hesitation is tied directly to his right foot. Lively has not been medically cleared, missed all four preseason games - including both in Macao and Friday’s finale against Atlanta - and won’t be available when the Mavericks open the season Wednesday in Houston. He wasn’t ready for training camp, either.
The positive sign is that the rehab has moved forward without any reported setbacks since his December surgery on that foot. Masai Ujiri said Oct. 9 that Lively had progressed to shooting and was working toward running on the court. Dusty May said the return-to-play process has been mostly routine, aside from a few differences unique to Lively’s situation.
Even so, no one has put a timetable on his return. That makes a five-year commitment and potentially huge money a tough sell for a front office that has only been in place a few months.
The medical file tells the story. Lively has played in 98 of a possible 246 regular-season games over his first three seasons. He missed a long stretch in 2024-25 because of a stress fracture in his right foot, had surgery on that same foot in July 2025, then appeared in only seven games last season before a third procedure shut him down in December.
That’s a lot to weigh for a player who turns 23 this season.
The talent, though, has never been in doubt. Lively earned All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2023-24 after averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 74.5% from the field in 55 games. He was also a real force during Dallas’ run to the NBA Finals, protecting the rim, finishing lobs, making the right read from the short roll and bringing the kind of energy that can tilt a game.
The Mavericks need that version of him back in the worst way. Daniel Gafford is the only center who has been fully healthy through camp.
Moussa Cisse tweaked an ankle in the preseason, and Morez Johnson Jr. was limited early by lower leg soreness, though both are expected back for Wednesday’s opener in Houston. Santi Aldama has been coming back from a March knee procedure, and Dwight Powell was waived Monday morning after 12 seasons with the team.
That leaves Dallas thin in the middle, but it doesn’t signal a loss of faith in Lively. The team still has options, too. Next summer, the Mavericks can extend a qualifying offer and make him a restricted free agent, which would allow them to match any deal he signs elsewhere.
For now, they’re keeping their flexibility and waiting on the one thing that matters most: Lively’s health.
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