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Noah Weber: Dusty May did not provide an updated timeline for Dereck Lively II’s return but did say he’s “making major progress” and that he “looks great. He is excited about what he can bring to the floor. “If you have someone that can impact the rim on offense and defense like he does, but also just the live body and energy…”
NBA Trade Machine: Over the past 24 hours, Jalen Green featured in 10.5% of trades built on HoopsMatic. Within his trades, he landed most often in Dallas (82.4%), New Orleans (2.6%), and LA Clippers (2.0%). Most often, he was traded for Marcus Sasser (24.8%), Dereck Lively (23.5%), and Kyrie Irving (23.5%).
Dereck Lively: "I'm doing great. I'm sick of seeing things on the internet thinking that I can't run, I can't jump, which I can and which I've been doing. And it's just been like, I'm thankful for the Mavs to just let me take my time and be slow. You know, making sure I'm doing everything that I need to do to make sure my body will never have to worry about anything ever again. So I've been focused on mentally and physically making sure I'm in the top and best shape that I possibly can."
Dereck Lively: "It's been rough. So I've been just leading into my family and my circle. I've been actually kind of grateful that I can spend this time with my daughter and just developing my relationship with her. There's not going to be many points in time in my career that I'm going to be able to be this present. So I've been looking at the glass half full instead of half empty. I've been enjoying my time with her. Her birthday was on Wednesday and she spoiled as any daughter could be."
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While there is no official timeline of return yet, Dereck Lively II is trending in a positive direction in his ongoing injury recovery for the Dallas Mavericks. Mavs general manager Mike Schmitz joined 105.3 The Fan and revealed that Lively II is actively working out in the team's gym as he continues his offseason foot rehabilitation. “D-Live has been working his tail off. He’s in the facility constantly, completely locked into everything we’re doing and doing everything in his power to be his best self,” Schmitz said.
Dereck Lively II covered the cost of admission for all 105 campers at a free four-hour hoop camp he hosted Saturday at Beckley-Saner Recreation Center in Oak Cliff. The Dallas Mavericks center ran the event in conjunction with Mavs Academy. Lively served as the featured coach. He led drills, refereed scrimmages, contested shots in the paint, and put campers through a series of push-up challenges. Lunch was provided for every participant. Campers also received swag bags that contained T-shirts and autographed photos.
Omari Sankofa II: Onyenso said his game is similar to Dereck Lively. "He's really good lob threat. That's what my game is like. And then what I do on defense."
“I’m just waiting to see that my foot’s good,” Lively said. “Even when it’s good, I’ve got to wait even more to make sure I don’t have to deal with this again. I’m never going to rush back. I’m never going to worry about that.” He has heard the durability questions and waved them off. “If I’ve got to take what the fans or the public have to say about me, that I’m brittle or all that, cool,” Lively said. “But whenever I come back, don’t forget who I am.”
Mike Curtis: Dereck Lively II was asked if there was any target date for his return: “I can’t even say that. I’m just waiting to see that my foot’s good. Even when it’s good, I gotta wait even more to make sure I don’t have to do this again…If I gotta take the things that the fans & the public gotta say about me, “I’m brittle. I’m all that.” Cool. When I come back, don’t forget who I am.”
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Grant Afseth: Riley Crean spent a lot of time learning from Sean Sweeney when they were both with the Dallas Mavericks. Sweeney often worked with the bigs, especially Dereck Lively II. After Sweeney joined the San Antonio Spurs, Crean often worked with the bigs.
Brian Windhorst: There'd be quite a few teams that would be interested in Kel'el Ware if he got shipped to Milwaukee and they were willing to flip him. Tim MacMahon: He's a rim-running floor stretching big. Windhorst: If I were the Lakers and Kel'el Ware got shipped to Milwaukee, I would be on the phone because Kel'el Ware package of talent is not that different from Dereck Lively.
Dereck Lively: "My mom is the first person, first coach. She used to coach me to kick me out of a gym. She kicked me out of practice because I called her mom, and then I had to sit the entire rest of practice outside, couldn't get in the car, I was locked out of the gym, and I just had to sit on the curb. She was a loving person, but when it came to basketball, she knew everything around the game. She taught me many things, no matter if it's, as soon as you start a commitment, you got to finish it. No matter if you don't like it, no matter if it's going bad, you got to finish it throughout the whole thing."
There is a desire for better center play, true lob threats who mimic the skills of Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II (with cleaner injury histories). There is a desire for true two-way defensive players, wings with athleticism and energy on the defensive end and a sweet shooting stroke on the offensive side of the ball. And there’s a desire to lock in a long-term secondary playmaker next to Dončić. Reaves, who will decline his player option and become an unrestricted free agent after the season, is the most logical fit for that role.
