The Mavericks let the deadline come and go Monday without locking in extensions for two former first-round picks, leaving Dereck Lively II and Marcus Sasser to play out the final year of their contracts.
That puts both players on track for free agency next offseason, though Dallas will still have a path to keep them. The team can extend qualifying offers after the season, which would make each one a restricted free agent and give the Mavericks the right to match any offer sheet.
The decision fits the way front offices are operating now that the tax aprons are in place. Teams are thinking harder before handing out money to players they still have questions about, instead of simply paying now and worrying about the fallout later.
For Lively, the issue is health.
He has appeared in just 43 games over the past two seasons, including only seven last year, and foot problems have forced three procedures in 2025. His availability for this season is still uncertain as he continues recovering from his latest surgery in December.
When he has been on the floor, Lively has shown exactly why Dallas values him. The former 12th overall pick gives the Mavericks a long, athletic center and was a key piece of the defense that carried the team to the NBA Finals in 2024.
The problem is staying on the court. There were extension discussions between the sides, but letting the season play out makes sense for both.
Sasser’s situation is different, but the outcome was the same.
Dallas acquired him from the Detroit Pistons this offseason in what amounted to a salary dump, with the Mavericks sending nothing back and absorbing him into one of their available exceptions. He played 38 games last season and had the worst statistical year of his career, with Daniss Jenkins moving ahead of him in the rotation.
Sasser has shown he can shoot and defend when he gets chances, but his lack of playmaking and his 6'1" size make him a tougher fit for a regular role. Still, if he puts together a productive season, the Mavericks can revisit extension talks next offseason.
In Other News...
Mavericks Opener Puts Dallas New Era Under Immediate Pressure
The Mavericks are walking into the 2026-27 season with a nearly remade look and very little room to ease into it, opening on the road against Houston as the franchise starts a new era under fresh front office leadership and first-year coach Dusty May. Dallas will lean on a group that includes seven new players, with rookie Cooper Flagg expected to be central to the next step after a historic debut season, and the opener already carries the feel of an early gauge on how quickly all the moving parts can come together.
Kyrie Irving gives the roster another major piece in the backcourt, while rookie Morez Johnson Jr. is part of the influx of new talent the Mavericks are counting on to reshape the rotation. For a team trying to bounce back from last season, the challenge is not just about talent but about timing, chemistry and whether a roster with this much turnover can settle in fast enough to survive a tough first test. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Opener Took A Heated Turn That Changed The Night
The Mavericks season opener quickly lost its opening-night polish when tempers flared early against Houston, turning what should have been a clean first look at the new campaign into a choppy, physical test. Even with the game still in its early stages, the Rockets had already set the tone, and the first half became more about managing the emotion in the building than settling into a rhythm.
Tari Easons night went sideways in a hurry after a confrontation with P.J. Washington escalated into a flagrant foul and an ejection, leaving Houston to adjust without him almost immediately. Still, the Rockets did not let the moment derail them, building a sizable cushion before halftime and leaving Dallas to sort through both the score and the edge that came with the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Left Mavericks Fans With One Immediate Concern
Kyrie Irvings long-awaited return gave Mavericks fans their first real look at how the backcourt will function early in the new season, and it came on a night packed with other notable debuts and fresh starts around the league. The second night of the 2026-27 schedule also featured a slate of high-profile returns and new-team appearances, but in Dallas, all eyes were on how Irving would fit back into a group trying to sort out its identity.
The game itself offered a mixed early read on that partnership, especially with reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg now in the mix. Irving was on the floor for only 24 minutes and never returned for the fourth quarter in the loss to Houston, leaving the Mavericks with one obvious question to carry into the next stretch of the season: how quickly can this version of the team get its best players on the same page? [Read more 🡒]