Dereck Lively News: Fourth-year option picked up

The Mavericks exercised the fourth-year team option on Lively's contract Monday.

No surprise here, as the move keeps Lively under team control until through 2026-27. The 2023 first-rounder is projected to play a key role down low for Dallas moving forward, and Lively could dominate the center minutes early on this season if Daniel Gafford can't get past his ankle sprain.