Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II stretches prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Mavericks get major injury update for Dereck Lively II

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 2:01 PM ET

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is on the road to recovery after missing a good chunk of last season with a foot injury.

Lively, 21, played in just 36 games for the Mavs in his second NBA season due to injury, stunting the growth of the former Duke Blue Devils big man.

ESPN insider Shams Charania is reporting an update on Lively's recovery process.

Lively expected for training camp

"Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has undergone surgery to clean up bone spurs in his right foot, sources tell ESPN. He is expected to be healthy for training camp," Charania tweeted.

This is a positive sign for the Mavs, who were in desperate need to bring Lively back.

The Mavs are hoping Lively can start in the frontcourt, allowing Anthony Davis to revert back to his preferred position at power forward. With Cooper Flagg also in the mix, having a ton of size on the court could make the Mavs' lives a lot easier.

In the meantime, the Mavs are participating in the Las Vegas Summer League. While they have shut down Flagg after two games, Dallas will be back in action as it takes on the Philadelphia 76ers in their next game. Tipoff for the contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT from the Thomas & Mack Center. The game can be watched on ESPN or streamed on the ESPN app.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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