It's been a busy week for the Dallas Mavericks, following the hire of Dusty May and drafting his Michigan buddy, Morez Johnson Jr. Mavs fans should be psyched, but that excitement came to a halt when they got an update from one of their reliable big men, Dercek Lively II.
Lively II has been recovering from right foot surgeries from the past two seasons, and his absence has affected the Mavericks' defense. He talked with the media on Friday and gave a subtle injury update that fans won't be too happy about.
“I’m not able to run and jump yet. I’m taking my time. I’m taking more time than I need to make sure that I don’t have to deal with this foot again.”
Dereck Lively II sounds like he is far away from returning to the floor
Luckily, the season starts in four months, but not being able to run or jump is pretty significant to hear. But he's also taking the time to ensure this doesn't happen to his foot again.
Lively II came out of Duke and made an immediate impact in his rookie year, blocking shots and being the perfect lob threat for Luka Doncic. Of course, that's a piece that Mavs fans will always miss, but Flagg is just as much of a terrific passer as Doncic. Lively II and Flagg can turn into a perfect pair if Lively II is on the court.
That's been the issue, though. Lively II has played in only 43 regular-season games the past two seasons. If his talent is going to be wasted on the bench, it may be time for Masai Ujiri to get on the phone and look in a different direction.
That's a long way from happening. But it's something that should be on the table if Lively II keeps getting injured. Daniel Gafford may be on the trade market, too, so a lot is riding on Lively II to get better.
Johnson Jr. will have to play big minutes early in his career, especially if Lively II is unable to go. Fingers crossed that Lively II gets better, but his subliminal update doesn't sound too promising.
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