Dereck Lively II’s status has turned one of the Mavericks’ clearest spots into a question mark.
The Dallas center has not been cleared for the start of training camp on Saturday after spending the offseason recovering from December foot surgery, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. That also leaves his availability for the regular-season opener on October 21 uncertain, and it puts his place in the starting five in limbo.
When Lively is right, he looks like Dallas’ best option in the middle. He was one of the Mavericks’ most important players during their 2024 run to the NBA Finals, and his rookie season gave a real glimpse of what he can be at full force.
In the playoffs, the 7-foot-1 center averaged 7.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 67.4 percent from the field. His finishing at the rim and his ability to steady the defense became defining parts of his game.
The problem is that injuries have interrupted that momentum, and he has played only 43 of 162 possible games since that Finals run.
With Lively unavailable for now, the starting center job opens up. Daniel Gafford and Morez Johnson Jr. are the two names most likely to enter the mix, and each brings a different case.
Gafford is the straightforward choice. He has already started 96 regular-season games for Dallas and another 22 in the playoffs, so the team knows exactly what it gets.
He is the next man up behind Lively and the safer option if the Mavericks want stability. He protects the rim, finishes inside, and gives Dallas a proven presence in the paint.
The tradeoff is that he is not the same kind of versatile defender as Lively. Gafford has trouble when he has to cover ground in space, which can create problems against stretch bigs.
He fits best as a drop defender in pick-and-roll coverage, and if Dallas wants more flexibility at center, Johnson Jr. becomes much more interesting.
Johnson Jr. is the swing-for-the-fences option. The former Michigan Wolverine averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game as a sophomore, and his game is built on hustle, energy, versatility, and defense.
Those traits helped make Rez a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. His impact under Dusty May at Michigan has already been a major talking point, and Dallas is hoping that same style translates quickly to the NBA.
He rebounds hard, switches defensively, and plays with force, and May could choose to start him with development in mind.
Gafford is probably the safer call, but Johnson Jr. is seven years younger and needs the reps. Dallas also sees a young pairing in Johnson Jr. and Cooper Flagg that could become a real force, especially on the defensive end. Starting Johnson Jr. right away would be a way to accelerate that growth.
However Dallas handles it, the absence of Lively changes the shape of the front line. May has options, and the choice between Gafford and Johnson Jr. will reveal plenty about how the Mavericks want to move forward.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg Mania Is Already Reaching Another Level In Dallas
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It was graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA and became the latest symbol of how quickly Flagg has turned into a national obsession. The sale also topped every previous Rookie Debut Patch card price, a reminder that the hype around Dallas newest centerpiece is now extending well beyond ticket sales and into the high-end collectibles world. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Powell Is Back But Dallas Has A Real Roster Question
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What makes the situation worth watching is that Powell arrives in camp without a contract slot currently attached to him, a reminder that Dallas is carrying more than just basketball decisions into October. The Mavs know what Powell has meant to the organization over the years, and his presence gives them another experienced veteran in the room, but it also leaves a real roster question hanging over how the team wants to handle the last part of its build. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Puts A New Mavericks Reality Into Focus
Kyrie Irving is set to return to NBA action after an 18-month absence, and his comeback arrives at a moment when the Mavericks are trying to settle into a new shape around him. After tearing his left ACL, Irving spent the last stretch working his way back with the expectation that Dallas will keep an eye on his workload, but the bigger takeaway is that he now looks ready to rejoin the team as more than just a scorer. He has talked through the recovery process as something that tested him and left him determined to make an impact again.
For Dallas, the timing matters because Irvings return restores one of the leagues most skilled guards to a roster that has been waiting a long time to see what this version of the team can become. Irving has said he is prepared to contribute as a player and as a leader, and the Mavericks will now have to sort out how quickly he can slide back into rhythm while the seasons bigger questions keep moving around him. The health part is only the start - what comes next is how the team adapts to having him back in the picture. [Read more 🡒]