The hits keep coming as Mavericks receive bad injury news on key young player

The Dallas Mavericks have suffered a lot of injury blows already this season. Kyrie Irving has yet to play as he recovers from his ACL surgery, Anthony Davis has only played in five game because of a calf strain, Daniel Gafford has been in and out with an ankle injury, and that's just the start of it.

And then there's Dereck Lively II. He missed 11 games with a knee sprain or knee injury management around the start of the season, but then he missed Monday's game on the road against the Miami Heat with right foot injury management.

On Tuesday, NBA insider Marc Stein revealed that the Mavericks are concerned about this latest injury. "It is feared that the Mavs face an extended injury absence for Dereck Lively II," Stein reported. "Held out Monday in Miami for right foot injury management, Lively has played in seven of 19 games after offseason foot surgery and a recent knee issue."

More from Dallas: It is feared that the Mavs face an extended injury absence for Dereck Lively II, @TheSteinLine has learned.

Held out Monday in Miami for right foot injury management, Lively has played in seven of 19 games after offseason foot surgery and a recent knee issue. https://t.co/yIPbWa7bQK
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 25, 2025

This is far from the first foot injury for Lively, which only makes fans more concerned. He had a stress fracture in his foot last year, which was initially misdiagnosed as a sprained ankle, and then he had a procedure this offseason to have bone spurs removed from that foot.

Injuries have been a theme of Lively's career, as he's played in just 98 of a possible 183 games in his career. People were already concerned that the Luka Doncic trade may impact Lively's effectiveness, and he's only averaged 4.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in less than 20 minutes per game. He still had a penchant for fouling, but it doesn't matter if he can't stay healthy.

Nov 14, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and center Dereck Lively II (2) look on during the second half against the LA Clippers in an NBA Cup game at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

UPDATE: The Mavericks have come out and released an update on Lively: "Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is currently being evaluated for swelling and discomfort in his right foot.

He will miss the team’s upcoming three-game road trip and a further timeline will be provided in approximately 7-10 days."

Anthony Davis Nearing Return From Injury

There has been some positive injury news in the frontcourt recently, though, as Anthony Davis seems to be nearing a return to the floor. He was upgraded to doubtful ahead of Monday's game against Miami before eventually being ruled out, but Stein also reported that Davis is expected to practice on Wednesday. The Mavs don't play again until Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers, Davis' former team, and he has yet to play against them in Los Angeles.

The hope is that Davis is not only healthy, but also in better shape. He came into the season 15 pounds overweight, and it looked like it on the floor. There's a chance it even led to his injury. But for the Mavericks to get the best possible return out of a trade for Davis, he has to look much better than he did to start the year.

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