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Mavericks Announce Dereck Lively News Amid Anthony Davis' Absence

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Nov 12, 2025 1:18 AM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are a mess. The team got off to an ugly 3-8 start, and to make matters worse, big man Anthony Davis has missed six straight games due to a calf injury.

Dallas is also still reeling from the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers last February. In fact, the Mavericks even fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday as they continue to struggle.

From a title-contending team that reached the 2024 NBA Finals, the Mavs have really gone on a downward spiral without any hope of turning things around soon.

While it's hard to find anything positive about the Mavs amid their poor run and messy situation, the team did get some good news from the latest injury report.

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) during an NBA game. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Dereck Lively II, who has missed the Mavs' last eight games due to a right knee sprain, has been upgraded to "Questionable" for Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Suns. It's the first positive development for the 21-year-old big man after sustaining the injury more than two weeks ago.

Lively has been a key piece for the Mavericks since his arrival as the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. In his young career so far with Dallas, he has averaged 8.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

In the three games he has played this 2025-26 season prior to his injury, Lively has put up 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals.

It remains to be seen if Lively will be able to suit up against the Suns. Even if he doesn't, however, his "Questionable" designation suggests that he's close to returning.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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