The Dallas Mavericks are moving forward without one of their most promising young pieces. Dereck Lively II, the 21-year-old center who made a splash during the team’s 2024 NBA Finals run, will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his right foot.
Lively had already been sidelined for the past three weeks due to lingering foot issues. The procedure, which the team announced will end his season, is intended to address problems that have persisted since the summer. He previously had surgery in July to clean out bone spurs in the same foot.
It’s another frustrating chapter for Lively, whose early NBA career has been marked by both promise and setbacks. After a strong rookie campaign in which he played 55 games - starting 42 - and helped anchor the Mavericks’ defense during their Finals push, Lively has appeared in just seven games this season. Earlier in the year, he also missed nine games with a sprained right knee before returning on a minutes restriction in mid-November.
Head coach Jason Kidd acknowledged the tough break for the young big man, while emphasizing the team’s focus on resilience.
“We’re here to support,” Kidd said. “It’s next man up mentality. It’s just unfortunate that he has to have this surgery, but as I’ve told him, it’s just going to make him stronger when he comes back.”
Kidd also spoke candidly about the emotional toll injuries can have on a young player trying to establish himself in the league. Lively’s decision to undergo surgery came after exploring other medical opinions, with the hope of finding a long-term solution.
“Hopefully, as he goes through this process of finding other opinions of what he should do, it brings resolve and he can get back to playing,” Kidd said. “We miss him, but he misses playing. Hopefully, there is some conclusion to this and he’s back on the floor for us.”
Jason Kidd on the news that Dereck Lively II will undergo season-ending foot surgery pic.twitter.com/kx6EMsIJ6N
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) December 12, 2025
When healthy, Lively has shown the kind of rim protection, rebounding, and interior finishing that teams covet in a modern center. He’s averaged 8.4 points on an ultra-efficient 72.5% shooting, along with 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game across his career. His ability to anchor the paint and finish lobs made him a natural fit alongside Luka Dončić, and his defensive instincts gave the Mavericks a different dimension last postseason.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, continue to find ways to win in his absence. They knocked off the Brooklyn Nets 119-111 on Friday, marking their fifth win in six games and improving their record to 10-16 on the year.
Still, there’s no sugarcoating the loss. Lively’s presence in the paint - both as a shot-blocker and as a vertical spacer - is something that’s hard to replicate. And while the “next man up” mantra is a necessary one in the NBA, replacing a player with Lively’s upside is easier said than done.
For now, the focus shifts to his recovery. The Mavs are playing the long game with a player they believe can be a foundational piece. If this surgery gets Lively back to full strength, it could be a turning point - not just for his career, but for a Mavericks team that’s banking on his development as part of their future core.