When the Mavericks wrapped up Dereck Lively’s 2025-26 season after he appeared in only seven games, the plan was clear: have him work on his recovery so he would be ready for the start of the preseason. Yet, almost eight months later, and with just days remaining before the start of training camp, the Texas-based franchise does not seem willing yet to set any dates. That inevitably raises the question of whether something has gone wrong along the way.
That is not the impression conveyed by the tone of Mike Schmitz, general manager of the franchise, in his comments to Grant Afseth, a journalist for the Dallas Sports Journal, but his optimism does not completely erase the ambiguity of his words. One that becomes especially notable given how prone Lively has been to injuries, whose durability problems have been all too evident.
“He has been working very hard. He’s constantly in the facility, very focused on everything we do and doing everything he can to reach his best version,” he stated. “We’re very proud of how he’s approaching this. Even though he’s young, he has a lot of presence, and all of us can feel how hard he’s working to return to 100%.”
Schmitz, however, did not dare to guarantee his availability for the start of the training camp: “He’s doing everything he can, and we’re proud of the progress he’s made and of how he is continuing to advance little by little as we near the start of the preseason.”
A Key Year
The reality is that, even if on the court it may not be strictly essential, emotionally and in terms of confidence it would be important for Dallas to see Lively practicing with the rest from the outset. In his three seasons in the league, the center has missed more games than he has played, and after appearing in only 43 games over the last two seasons, questions about his conditioning are unavoidable. And they will be even more pressing, given that he has been out since December, and it’s clear he needs more time.
Being available will also be crucial for his salary prospects, as he is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will have to negotiate a contract extension in 2027. One in which, despite the promise of his rookie year, increasingly fades in the memory of the Mavericks if injuries prevent him from returning to a steady level of production.
