Dereck Lively II's Injury Update Could Force Mavericks' Hand With Daniel Gafford

The Dallas Mavericks face a lot of big decisions this offseason regarding the roster. New team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz have no ties to anyone on the roster, and they don't exactly have much draft capital moving forward. They even used two future second-round picks to move up in the 2026 NBA Draft.

One player who has consistently been thrown around in trade rumors is Daniel Gafford. Ever since he signed a three-year, $54 million extension last year, which was the most he could sign for without a trade restriction placed on him, his name has been floated in all kinds of trades, none of them going through.

They were apparently close to a deal with the Atlanta Hawks last year, but once they traded Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, and Jaden Hardy to the Washington Wizards, they didn't have as much desperation to shed future salary. Multiple reporters indicated that the Mavs were interested in pairing Gafford with the 30th pick in an effort to trade up in the draft last week, but that never materialized.

Now, it looks like the Mavs may not reshape the roster until the trade deadline. Not helping matters is that Dereck Lively II is still far away from being fully healthy, it seems.

Mar 21, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) tries to keep his balance as he runs out of bounds during the second half against the LA Clippers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dereck Lively II Provides Update on Injury

Dereck Lively II appeared at a Mavs camp this week, where he talked about his recovery, and it seems like he is still a ways away from returning to action.

“I can’t even say that [I have a timeline]. I’m just waiting to see that my foots good. Even when it’s good, I gotta wait even more," Lively said. "...I’m not able to run and jump yet. I’m taking my time. I’m taking more time than I need to make sure that I don’t have to deal with this foot again.”

Mavs center Dereck Lively on if he’s set a timeline for his return:

“I can’t even say that. I’m just waiting to see that my foots good. Even when it’s good, I gotta wait even more.” pic.twitter.com/FQZRTTl92d
— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports) June 26, 2026

Lively had three surgeries/procedures on his foot last year. It started with a stress fracture last January that was misdiagnosed initially as a sprained ankle. He then had a procedure last offseason to remove bone spurs, then played in just 7 games before needing season-ending surgery, which he had in December in London.

It has been a long recovery for Lively. It has been 7 months since his last surgery, and he still can't run or jump. It looks like he's put on a little weight, too, which is natural with how long he's been out of action.

Because of his injury concerns, the Mavericks have to have another starting-caliber center, which is what Gafford is. Until they can get a clean bill of health on Lively, which can't be guaranteed, they need someone of Gafford's acumen on the roster.

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