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Injury-Plagued Lively Misses Extension Deadline
20 Oct
Summary
- Dereck Lively II missed contract extension deadline with Dallas Mavericks.
- Lower body injuries have limited Lively to 43 games over two seasons.
- Mavericks will approach Lively's recovery with patience.
Dereck Lively II, a promising big man for the Dallas Mavericks, has missed the deadline for a rookie-scale contract extension, as reported by a league source. Lively, the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, now faces restricted free agency in the summer of 2027 if offered a qualifying offer by the Mavericks before June 29.
His initial impact was significant, averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds in his rookie season. However, lower body injuries have since plagued his career. A stress fracture in his right ankle, initially misdiagnosed in January 2025, was followed by surgery for bone spurs in his right foot in July 2025, and season-ending foot surgery in December 2025.
Despite a previous expectation of full recovery by training camp, Lively's timeline has shifted. He acknowledged the need for patience, stating, "Even when it's good, I have to wait even more to make sure I don't have to deal with this again." Mavericks president Masai Ujiri confirmed a patient approach to Lively's recovery, emphasizing that the team understands the challenges of such injuries.
