Since drafting Dereck Lively II with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Dallas Mavericks fans have had their eyes set on a future where the former Duke prodigy is Dallas’ starting center for years to come. While Lively II has proven that he can be a monster on both ends of the floor, injuries have begun to raise massive question marks around his future with the team, and it may sound harsh, but the Mavericks may have no option but to trade the third-year big man.

From the jump, it was clear that Lively II was a different force when he was on the floor. From his electric shot blocking to his throw-down dunks in the pick-and-roll, Lively II is the type of center any team would drool over. Luckily for the Mavericks, during the 2023 NBA Finals, Lively II was at his absolute peak and is still trying to get back to that point.

There’s no doubt that optics like the Luka Doncic trade and Kyrie Irving’s torn ACL have limited what the Duke center can do, but after his recent foot injury, Lively II’s status with the Mavericks may be more clouded than ever. It may sound like an awful trade to many fans, but the Mavericks may need to consider offloading the 21-year-old for future draft assets before next season.

Dereck Lively II’s durability issues put Mavericks in a brutal spot

A possible departure with Lively II would be the absolute extreme possibility when it comes to his injury history, but there is a fair chance that the Mavericks may be willing to cut ties with the seven-footer if it means getting future draft capital. It’s unclear when Lively II is set to return to the lineup from his current injury, but this follows a long history of absences due to on-court mishaps.

Just last season, Lively II played a total of 36 regular-season games, and while most of his absence wasn’t his fault, injuries still had a drastic impact on his career. It’s safe to believe that if health weren’t an issue, the Mavericks would be doing everything in their power to make him the starting center of their future alongside Cooper Flagg. But with a track record of barely being able to play 50-plus regular-season games, it’s hard to trust him.

To many fans, it would sound cruel or be a bad roster move trading away the 21-year-old center, but Lively II’s current injury puts a huge question mark in Dallas’ future, and it’s one they can’t wait around to find the answer for. It’s safe to assume the Mavericks would get some draft picks for him, considering he can be used on all 29 other NBA franchises, but there would be a strong belief that, due to his small rookie contract, the Mavericks may find it hard to trade just Lively II in a presumptive deal.

It’s still very early in Lively II’s career, and it may just take one full season of rest and recovery before he can be 100 percent again, but at this current pace, the Mavericks could quickly find themselves with a negative asset if they extend him this summer and he keeps getting injured.