After a season punctuated by injuries, Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II will undergo season‑ending surgery on his right foot in London.
Season‑Ending Surgery
The team announced that the procedure will be performed by Dr. James Calder in London. Lively had already undergone a procedure on the same foot during the offseason.
Injury History and Game Absences
- Lively missed 27 games as a rookie but was healthy for the postseason.
- He has been sidelined for 46 games last season and is expected to miss 75 games in 2024‑25.
- By the end of his third season, he will have missed 148 of a possible 246 games.
- His final game of the season was a 118‑115 victory over New Orleans on Nov. 21, after which he sat out the second night of a back‑to‑back.
Impact on Mavericks
- Lively was a strong pick‑and‑roll partner with Luka Doncic before the team traded the superstar.
- He has had limited opportunities to play alongside fellow big men Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg.
- The Mavericks reached the NBA Finals in 2021, their first trip since the franchise’s only championship in 2011, but lost to Boston in five games.
Career Overview
- Standing 7‑foot‑1, Lively has averaged 8.4 points and 7.0 rebounds in 98 games.
- He was a 2023 first‑round pick and a former Duke standout.
Key Takeaways
- Lively will undergo season‑ending foot surgery in London.
- He has missed 148 of 246 games over three seasons.
- His injury setbacks have limited his role in Dallas’s recent playoff runs.
The Mavericks’ loss of Lively’s availability adds another challenge as the team navigates a season without its former star, Luka Doncic.
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