ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Dereck Lively II will undergo season-ending surgery on his right foot.

Lively was reportedly seeking other opinions last week, which is never a positive sign. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but after appearing in just seven games, his third year in the NBA will end up as a lost one. Anthony Davis will be asked to spend more time at center, especially when Daniel Gafford isn’t available. There will also be extra minutes for Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell, though only as depth pieces. Lively will only be 22 years old at the start of next season and will be an enticing option in fantasy hoops. However, he can be safely dropped in redraft leagues at this point.

Dereck Lively II (foot) is seeking other opinions regarding the next steps in his recovery process.

Lively has been sidelined since November 21 and has no concrete return timeline. With the third-year center still dealing with discomfort and swelling in his right foot, he should be considered out indefinitely until the Mavericks announce otherwise. Fantasy managers who can afford to do so should continue to stash Lively in an IL+ slot. However, those dealing with multiple injuries may need to move on due to the uncertainty.

Dereck Lively II (foot) will miss the next three games.

Following a Marc Stein report that Lively was feared to miss extended time with a foot injury, the Mavericks provided a formal update on the 21-year-old center’s health. Lively is set to miss the team’s upcoming three games and another update will be provided in 7-10 days. Until then, Daniel Gafford will start at center for Dallas.

NBA Insider Marc Stein reports Dereck Lively II (knee) is feared to miss extended time.

NBA Insider Marc Stein reports Dereck Lively II (foot) is feared to miss extended time.

Lively was held out of Monday’s loss to the Heat with right foot injury management after having offseason foot surgery. Now the 21-year-old center is feared to miss an extended portion of the season, according to Stein. Daniel Gafford will continue to start at center with Lively out and Anthony Davis is due back soon to strengthen the frontcourt.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is out for Saturday’s game against the Grizzlies.

Lively had four points in 18 minutes in the Mavericks’ win over the Pelicans on Friday night. The 21-year-old center is going to miss the second game of a back-to-back against the Grizzlies on Saturday for injury management reasons. Daniel Gafford will start at center with Lively out.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is available for Friday’s game against the Pelicans.

Lively had four points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes in Wednesday’s game against the Knicks. The 21-year-old center has been active for three of the last four Mavericks games following his return from a right knee injury. Lively and Daniel Gafford handle the center duties against the Pelicans on Friday.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is available for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks.

Lively came back from a nine-game absence due to a knee injury last Friday against the Clippers. The 21-year-old center sat out Monday’s game against the Timberwolves, but is back for the matchup with the Knicks on Wednesday. With Daniel Gafford (ankle) also available, the Mavericks are healthier in the frontcourt than they have been in some time.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is probable to play against the Knicks on Wednesday.

After missing the second leg of the Mavericks’ back-to-back on Monday, Lively is expected to be back against New York. He’ll likely continue to play a limited role off the bench, but with Daniel Gafford (ankle) also back, Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell will lose out on most of their minutes.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Dereck Lively II (knee) will return on Friday against the Clippers.

Lively II will return following a nine-game absence, and he should immediately split work with Daniel Gafford at center. With both Lively II and Gafford available, Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell will likely see minimal playing time.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is questionable to play against the Clippers on Friday.

Lively participated in on-court work on Thursday and is “progressing”, according to head coach Jason Kidd. Lively has missed the Mavs’ last nine games and is in danger of missing a 10th. Daniel Gafford has been the starting center recently, but if Lively returns, both the pair will split the minutes at center, which won’t leave much time for Moussa Cisse or Dwight Powell.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is out for Wednesday’s game against the Suns.

Lively will miss a ninth straight game on Wednesday, and with Anthony Davis also out, the Mavericks will rely on Daniel Gafford and Moussa Cissé at the center position. While the latter is not a must-roster player, the former will have additional fantasy value, even if his minutes are still being restricted.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Suns.

Lively has missed the last eight games with a sprained right knee, leaving Daniel Gafford as the starting center. The player who would take the most significant hit if Lively returns is Moussa Cissé, who has played rotation minutes in four of the Mavericks’ last five games. That hasn’t been enough to impact fantasy basketball, however.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is out for Monday’s game against the Bucks.

No surprise here as Lively was listed as doubtful. The 21-year-old center remains out with a sprained right knee, though he is getting closer to a return to the court. With Lively and Anthony Davis out, the Mavericks have to hope Daniel Gafford, who is a game-time decision, is ultimately active.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is doubtful for Monday’s game against the Bucks.

Lively has missed Dallas’s last five games with a knee injury, and it appears likely that he’ll miss a sixth on Monday. How impactful his absence will be depends on Daniel Gafford’s availability, who’s questionable with a sprained ankle. If Gafford cannot play but Anthony Davis (calf) can, AD will play most of his minutes at center. If both sit, it will likely be “Moussa Cissé time” in Milwaukee.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is out for Saturday’s game against the Wizards.

No surprise here as Lively has missed the last five games with a knee injury. The doubtful designation on the injury report is a step in the right direction, but Lively’s potential return from injury will have to wait until at least next week now.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Wizards.

Lively has missed the last five games with a knee injury. The good news is his doubtful injury designation for Saturday against the Wizards indicates he’s getting closer to a return to the court. Even if he’s ultimately ruled out, this represents progress for the 21-year-old center who should return soon.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is out for Wednesday’s game against the Pelicans.

Wednesday’s game will be Lively’s fifth missed game with a knee injury. Daniel Gafford is available and will start, but his minutes may still be restricted. However, he needs to be rostered no matter how many minutes he can play against the Pelicans.

Dereck Lively (knee) is out for Monday’s game against the Rockets.

Lively will miss a fourth straight game with a sprained right knee, and he does not have a clearly-defined timeline for his return. Daniel Gafford should start after returning to action on Saturday, but his minutes may be limited for injury management reasons. If so, Dwight Powell will remain in the rotation as the backup center.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is out for Saturday’s game against the Pistons.

Saturday’s game will be Lively’s third missed due to a sprained right knee. The Mavericks will also be without Anthony Davis, who is recovering from a strained calf. Dwight Powell is healthy and will figure prominently in the frontcourt rotation, while Daniel Gafford (ankle) is questionable.

Dereck Lively II (knee) and Daniel Gafford (ankle) are out for Wednesday’s game against the Pacers.

Lively and Gafford remain out for another game, which means Anthony Davis will continue to serve as the starting center. The absences also raise P.J. Washington’s fantasy ceiling due to the Mavericks’ lack of options behind Davis.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Pacers.

Lively is on track to miss a second straight game with a knee injury. With Daniel Gafford (ankle) also doubtful, the Mavericks will have to call on Anthony Davis to start at center if Lively and DG can’t play.

Dereck Lively II (knee) has been ruled out against the Thunder on Monday.

Lively was initially listed as doubtful, so his absence doesn’t come as a surprise. Anthony Davis will likely spend even more time at center than he has been, which should open up more minutes for Naji Marshall at forward. Dwight Powell will likely fill the backup center minutes.

Dereck Lively II (knee) is doubtful for Monday’s game against the Thunder.

Lively was limited to 21 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Raptors, and a right knee contusion appears likely to keep him out of Monday’s matchup with the reigning champs. With Daniel Gafford also doubtful, the Mavericks may need Anthony Davis to spend more time at the center position than he prefers. Dwight Powell could enter the rotation, but he’s unlikely to get the run needed to impact fantasy basketball.

Dereck Lively II recorded a double-double on Wednesday with 12 points (5-of-7 FGs), 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks against the Lakers on Wednesday.

Lively’s preseason hasn’t been great during the preseason, but this game was a nice example of how productive he can be in fantasy basketball as long as Daniel Gafford (ankle) remains sidelined. There hasn’t been a reason for him to play big minutes, but in what was a “dress rehearsal” game, Lively did this in 25 minutes. He should easily outplay his 10th round ADP in Yahoo! leagues.

Dereck Lively II underwent surgery on his right foot and is now in a protective boot.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the procedure was done to clean up bone spurs in Lively’s right foot. The expectation is that he should be ready for the start of training camp in late September. Also, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the handling of Lively’s injury led to a disagreement between members of the Mavericks’ medical staff. Four staff members, including director of athletic performance Keith Belton, were dismissed in May. With Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis recovering from knee and eye injuries, respectively, three of Dallas’ critical players are using the offseason to recover. In the case of Irving, he is not expected to be available until well into the 2025-26 season.

Dereck Lively II (ankle) is out for Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies.

Initially doubtful for Sunday’s regular-season finale, Lively is officially out. Daniel Gafford is available and will likely start, but fantasy managers in active leagues should not expect to see him playing heavy minutes. A Dallas win combined with a Sacramento loss to Phoenix would give the Mavericks home-court advantage in Wednesday’s play-in tournament matchup.

Dereck Lively II recorded a double-double on Friday with 10 points (5-of-7 FGs) and 11 rebounds against the Raptors.

This was Lively’s fourth appearance since he injured his ankle back in the middle of January. His 18 minutes in this game were the most he has played since prior to his injury, and while it wasn’t much more than he played in his previous three games, he was able to record his first double-double since January 9. He had a total of 12 points and eight rebounds in his last three games, and he was held without a rebounds against the Lakers on Wednesday. It’s good to see Lively playing well after such a lengthy absence.

Dereck Lively II accumulated two points (1-of-3 FGs), three rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot in 15 minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Clippers.

Saturday’s game was Lively’s second since returning from a stress fracture in his ankle. As expected, there’s still some rust, and the Mavericks are taking a conservative approach to his workload. Lively only played 15 minutes, offering limited value during his time on the court. With Daniel Gafford (knee) sitting out, Kai Jones assumed the backup center responsibilities and had an excellent night. Shooting 9-of-9 from the field, he finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, one steal and three blocks. However, as good as this line was, fantasy managers whose leagues will be active next week don’t need to pick up Jones. Dallas plays on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, which should ensure that Lively and Gafford are available.

Dereck Lively II (ankle) has been ruled out against the Clippers on Friday.

Lively will sit out the first leg of the Mavericks’ back-to-back set with the Clippers, which will likely allow Daniel Gafford to start. With both players coming off lengthy absences, Gafford will likely sit out on Saturday, with Lively returning to the starting lineup. Kai Jones should take on extra minutes in both games.