Rumors

Marc Stein: Dallas' Dereck Lively II recently underwent a procedure on his right foot, @TheSteinLine has learned, followed by placement in a boot. This means three key Mavericks are in injury recovery: Kyrie Irving (knee), Anthony Davis (eye) and Lively. More NBA: tinyurl.com/mu56shew

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Shams Charania: Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has undergone surgery to clean up bone spurs in his right foot, sources tell ESPN. He is expected to be healthy for training camp.

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Gafford is a trade candidate to monitor should he not agree to an extension with Dallas. The 26-year-old center will want a pay raise, the Mavericks already have Davis on a max contract, and 21-year-old center Dereck Lively is a year away from being extension-eligible.

HoopsHype

Marc Stein: Dereck Lively’s foot injury, as @TheSteinLine and @DLLS_Sports first reported following Dallas’ season-ending loss at Memphis, led to a blowup between department lead Johann Bilsborough and strength coach Keith Belton. Belton has been let go. It’s believed Bilsborough stays.

x.com

Three days after trading Anthony Davis to Dallas for Doncic, the Lakers orchestrated a deal with the Charlotte Hornets to land 7-footer Mark Williams, a tantalizing but injury-prone young center who was supposed to provide Doncic a vertical threat around the rim other than Jaxson Hayes. Williams was Doncic's preferred lob partner out of a list of potential trade targets and told the team so, sources said, after Doncic had been so effective with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford in Dallas. The deal was agreed upon the night before the trade deadline, a buzzer-beater by the Lakers' front office after already successfully negotiating the Doncic deal and the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets in late December. Only Williams never suited up for L.A. He failed the team's physical examination, and the Lakers "just couldn't live with what they saw," a source with knowledge of the subject told ESPN.

ESPN

Marc Stein: Nico Harrison says Anthony Davis (adductor strain) will not require surgery this summer and says he does not expect Dereck Lively II (foot) to require offseason surgery. More NBA from me: tinyurl.com/4jmtyje8

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Dallas center Dereck Lively II, who exchanged autographed jerseys with Doncic postgame, insisted that the chants didn't affect the Mavs. "I feel like people just trying to jump on the same bandwagon, but ain't nothing going to change," Lively told ESPN. "This is what they got. If they're trying to jump ship, it is going to be too late whenever we start having success. So it's just making sure that we just lean on each other. No matter what we hearing. No matter what the outside noise is we're hearing, we lean on each other."

ESPN

Mark Cuban, the Mavs' current minority owner, has repeatedly stated that he was unaware of the trade before it happened, but now he's defending the Mavs' decision to acquire Davis. "The truth is, between Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively, and Daniel Gafford, that's the best big three in the NBA," Cuban remarked on the Stephen A. Smith Show.

BasketNews

Law Murray: Anthony Davis, PJ Washington Jr, Dereck Lively II, Caleb Martin are all available per Mavericks Daniel Gafford and Jaden Hardy out Klay Thompson available after missing second half last night due to illness/blowout

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Eddie Sefko: Daniel Gafford will be available for 15-20 minutes tonight and Anthony Davis for 25-28 minutes, per Jason Kidd. Dereck Lively II trending in right direction for a possible return soon.

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Erik Slater: Anthony Davis is probable for the Mavericks tonight vs. the Nets. Daniel Gafford is also probable, while Dereck Lively is questionable. Both have a chance to return after extended absences.

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Christian Clark: Daniel Gafford has been upgraded to probable ahead of tomorrow's game against Brooklyn. He's missed Dallas' last 21 games with a right knee sprain. Dereck Lively II is listed as questionable. He's been out since Jan. 14.

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Eddie Sefko: Mavs' new injury update: Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Dante Exum, Caleb Martin and O-Max Prosper out. Brandon Williams probable.

x.com

Now, my understanding is AD is ramping up and nearing his return. He's going to play four-on-four, five-on-five this week, and he could be back as soon as the last week of March. And they’re going to need him. Here’s the thing—some people have asked, ‘Why take the risk?’ But he wants to play. He wants to be out there. Derek Lively II is also ramping up. I don’t think he’s quite as close, but it’s a similar conversation. He wants to play.

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