While the Dallas Mavericks have one of the most talented rosters on paper in the NBA, it cannot be denied that Dallas' fate next season will largely hinge on how healthy they are, as is the case for many NBA teams. This variable may be more volatile in Dallas' case, though, as they are coming off a season where many of their players were injured during crucial stretches, and Kyrie Irving will miss an indefinite amount of time next season, rehabbing from a torn ACL.
It's unlikely the Mavericks will be as injury-plagued as last season, but Irving isn't the only player on the roster who's a threat to miss a lot of games next season, as both Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II have proven to be very injury-prone players throughout their time in the league. While Davis' injuries have more so piled up throughout his career and he's at least had stretches where he's been very healthy, Lively II has only played in 91 regular-season games through two seasons in the league and must be healthier next season for Dallas.
Lively II has dealt with a myriad of injuries since his rookie season, most recently dealing with what is probably his most serious injury to date, as he suffered an ankle stress fracture in his foot after Mavericks trainer Keith Belton pushed Lively II to return with an aggressive return-to-play plan because of originally diagnosing the injury as a mild sprain.
The next step for Dereck Lively II is just staying on the floor
Other Mavericks trainers caught this mistake before Lively II could prematurely return to the floor, and Lively II was miraculously able to return late in the season before Dallas' play-in bouts, but it's since been revealed he wasn't even 100 percent healthy once he returned. He most recently underwent offseason surgery to get some bone spurs removed from the same right foot he had the stress fracture in, and while he's expected to be fully healthy ahead of training camp, Dallas was certainly hoping to avoid offseason surgery here if it was possible.
Lively II is undoubtedly one of the brightest young bigs in the league, and he has All-Star potential if he can continue to hone in on his rim protection and develop his offensive game. The long-rumored addition of a consistent 3-point shot to his game could revolutionize Dallas' offense, but he hasn't shown the ability to stretch the floor in games whatsoever, barring one shot in the 2024 NBA Finals, and he must be on the court more consistently for him to even get comfortable with stretching the floor on occasion.
It's never a good sign when guys over 7-feet have suffered a bunch of lower body and leg injuries early in their career, and while Lively II thankfully hasn't suffered any career-altering injuries up to this point, the number of smaller to moderate injuries he's had throughout his career is less than ideal for a 21-year-old big.
Going forward, Dallas needs Lively II to have at least a moderately healthy season next year. He's never played over 55 games in the regular season during his career, and the Mavericks should aim and hope for him to crack into the 60-65 games played window next season. Lively II and the Mavericks can't control fate, of course, but getting stronger in his lower body and doing whatever injury prevention training he can must be at the forefront of Dallas' athletic training staff's priorities next season.
