The Dallas Mavericks have made plenty of moves over the past few months, but they might be standing pat after a recent update.
Dallas has made some small but impactful moves this offseason. The team has re-signed key players such as Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford while also adding D’Angelo Russell in free agency.
Those moves have put Dallas in a position to compete for a title in the near future. However, not everything has gone the Mavericks’ way. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Dereck Lively II recently underwent surgery for bone spurs in his right foot.
Although he is anticipated to be ready to go by training camp, it could be the nail in the coffin for Dallas’ hopes of making another big splash. While Lively’s injury doesn’t technically change the Mavericks’ situation, he joins Anthony Davis, who recently had surgery for a detached retina, as a recovering big man in Dallas.
While the Mavericks have popped up in trade rumors for quite some time, most packages to get a big name include Gafford. If the season started today, Gafford would likely be the only regular big man available for the Mavericks. Considering the not-so-great track record of Dallas’ medical staff in recent years, there’s a possibility that will still be the case when training camp begins.
After having to deal with numerous injuries last season, the Mavericks understand that having depth could be their key to staying competitive in the West. With Gafford being the only rotational big man currently healthy, it might be wise for Nico Harrison and the Mavericks to hold off on making any deals that might involve him.