Dereck Lively II has until Monday, Oct. 19, at 5 p.m. Central to sign a rookie-scale extension with Dallas, or he heads toward restricted free agency in 2027.

The 22-year-old center has played 98 games in three seasons, including just seven last year, and had not been cleared for 5-on-5 work when camp opened.

Lively had right-foot surgery in July 2025 to clear bone spurs, then needed season-ending surgery on the same foot in December.

In 2024-25 he ranked fourth in defensive rebounding percentage, and opponents shot 56.3% at the rim against him. As a rookie he helped Dallas reach the 2024 Finals.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks suggested three years and about $35 million, with the third season tied to Lively playing at least 41 games in one of the first two years.

Daniel Gafford, Santi Aldama, Morez Johnson Jr. and Moussa Cisse give the Mavericks depth at center while Lively works through a return-to-play protocol.

American Airlines Center in Dallas. File photo: NoTalkMan / Wikimedia Commons · CC0. Resized.

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