Dallas hopes to get one of its young talents back for training camp

Dereck Lively II has been going through a difficult period since the start of his NBA career. The Dallas Mavericks center had to undergo another surgery during the offseason to remove bone spurs (an abnormal bone growth above the normal bone) in his right foot, according to information reported by ESPN and Shams Charania.

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. pic.twitter.com/OdzHjV3zA8

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 15, 2025

This procedure follows the stress fracture that kept him off the court for more than two months during the 2024-2025 season. The 21-year-old player only managed to play 36 games, after playing 55 in his rookie season.

A career start hampered by injuries

Since joining the NBA as the 12th pick in the 2023 Draft, Dereck Lively II has struggled to string games together. In total, he has only participated in 91 regular season games over his first two campaigns, a concerning record for a player Dallas heavily relies on.

Despite these repeated absences, the center has shown promising qualities when available, averaging 8.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks since joining the league. His right foot injury had actually created tensions within the Texas franchise, as the center had participated in an intense training session the day before the official discovery of his stress fracture.

This situation led GM Nico Harrison to clean house in the medical staff, notably firing medical care manager Dionne Calhoun and strength and conditioning director Keith Belton, the latter working without the certifications required by the NBA collective bargaining agreement.

The Mavericks now hope to get their young talent back in full form for the start of training camp in September. If all goes well, Lively II will return to a particularly well-stocked frontcourt with Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington and Dwight Powell, enough to compensate for any future absences.