The Dallas Mavericks have played a lot of basketball games since the last time Dereck Lively II took the floor.
It may still be a while for the Mavs without their athletic center. His injury trouble seems to be dragging on.
At least for now, it’s confirmed that the Mavericks remain without Lively on Monday night when they take on the Miami Heat in a game that will be broadcast on NBA TV.
The Mavs look to have avoided an injury scare with Cooper Flagg.
They’ve had no such luck with Lively.
Why Isn’t Dereck Lively Playing?
Lively remains out of action because he still hasn’t recovered from right foot surgery that he underwent in December 2025.
He missed the entire preseason and hasn’t been medically cleared to play yet.
Lively did speak about his injury during training camp, providing a bit of insight for fans wondering where he is right now.
“Everything’s been great,” Lively said in September, via Mavs Moneyball. “It’s been a lot of focus, a lot of days in the gym, a lot of hard days working. It’s been ups and downs. Trying to keep my focus on what I can control, not worry about things I can’t keep out of my control, and just having trust in my team, having trust in the people around me, my doctors, and the people who support me.”
When is Dereck Lively Coming Back?
There’s no official timeline on a Lively comeback.
When he spoke during training camp, he did give some positive updates, but they don’t really reveal a true timeline.
“I’m happy where I am,” Lively said in late September. “I’m very grateful to the team for just giving me the ability to just take my time, make sure I’m doing everything right, and making sure I’m taking care of my body. I’ve been running on the treadmill, been practicing jumps, been slowly getting back on the court, getting my shots up, making sure I’m still confident in my shot, and just being part of the team. Having everybody around the team, no matter if it’s the trainers, the medical staff, the team, the coaches. It’s been great just to have everybody around, having the energy again … It’s been a great time to be back with the team.”
Lively hasn’t had positive injury fortune in the NBA, and the Mavericks have figured out how to play without him.
It sure would help Dallas in the long run if their springy center could get healthy and get back on the court.
When is Dereck Lively Coming Back? Why Mavs’ Center Isn’t Playing After Injury