Dereck Lively II has not played since November 21, 2025, but the Dallas Mavericks center continues to work toward returning for the 2026-27 season. General manager Mike Schmitz said Lively has been a constant presence at the Mavericks’ facility and is focused on reaching full health before training camp.
“D-Live has been working his tail off,” Schmitz said during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan’s “G-Bag Nation,” via Dallas Sports Journal. “He’s in the facility constantly, completely locked into everything we’re doing and doing everything in his power to be his best self.”
Schmitz did not provide a specific timetable for Lively’s return. The Mavericks announced in December that Lively would undergo season-ending surgery on his right foot, with the team initially expecting him to make a full recovery and be available for the start of training camp.
The procedure, performed by Dr. James Calder at the Fortius Clinic in London, was Lively’s third operation on his right foot within a calendar year. Dallas provided an update on June 26, saying Lively was walking and lifting weights but had not yet progressed to running.
Lively’s foot problems date to January 2025, when what was initially diagnosed as a right ankle sprain was later determined to be a stress fracture. He missed roughly two and a half months and appeared in 36 games during the 2024-25 regular season before undergoing another procedure that July to remove bone spurs from the same foot.
The 2025-26 season brought another setback. Lively missed nine games with a right knee sprain before the foot injury ended his season after just seven appearances. He averaged 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 blocks in 16.4 minutes per game while shooting 61.1% from the field.
Lively has appeared in only 98 of a possible 246 regular-season games since Dallas selected him in the 2023 NBA Draft. Across his career, the 22-year-old has averaged 8.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 72.5% from the field.
His availability could be particularly important for new head coach Dusty May. Daniel Gafford started 44 of his 55 games last season and averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.7 minutes, while Dallas also selected Morez Johnson Jr. No. 9 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Johnson averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds at Michigan last season and earned second-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors. The Mavericks therefore have additional frontcourt options, but Lively’s defensive mobility and rim protection remain important to the roster.
Lively is also entering the final season of his rookie contract. Dallas exercised his $5.25 million team option for 2026-27, while Marc Stein reported in July that the Mavericks and Lively had begun early-stage discussions on a rookie-scale extension.
The Mavericks begin preseason play October 9 against the Houston Rockets in Macao before opening the regular season October 21 in Houston. Dallas hosts the San Antonio Spurs in its first home game on Oct. 24.
