The Mavericks' official injury report on Tuesday, Oct 20, moved Jett Howard from Day-To-Day to Cleared. The 23-year-old guard is available for the season opener at Houston on Wednesday night.
What happened
Jett Howard is off the injury report. The Mavericks listed him as Cleared on Tuesday, Oct 20, at 6:16 PM ET, after he had been Day-To-Day since Wednesday, Oct 14, with an illness. The report did not include a comment on the change, and it did not give a detail beyond the new status. Howard, a 23-year-old guard, had been the only Dallas player carrying a Day-To-Day tag. The upgrade comes one day before the Mavericks open the 2026-27 regular season on the road.
What it means for the Mavericks
Dallas plays at the Rockets on Wednesday, Oct 21, at 8:30 PM ET. It is the first regular-season game of the year, so the team is 0-0 and there is no record with or without Howard to lean on. Last season he played 55 games at 12.6 minutes a night, averaging 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists, which makes him a reserve guard behind the main rotation. With him out, the minutes have gone to Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall and Max Christie, with Brandon Williams, Daniel Gafford and Klay Thompson off the bench. His return gives the Mavericks one more option in the backcourt while Caleb Martin, Tarik Biberovic, Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama remain out.
What to watch
The next injury report ahead of Wednesday's game will confirm whether Howard's status holds. He is cleared, so there is no return date to wait on. The question is whether he draws a rotation spot in Houston or stays at the end of the bench. The status of Martin, Biberovic, Lively and Aldama is the larger issue for Dallas, and all four are still listed as Out.
Is Jett Howard playing at the Rockets on Wednesday?
He is cleared. The Mavericks' injury report on Tuesday, Oct 20, moved him from Day-To-Day to Cleared, so he is available for the game at Houston on Wednesday, Oct 21, at 8:30 PM ET. Whether he plays rotation minutes is up to the coaching staff.
When will Jett Howard be back?
He is back now. Howard was Day-To-Day with an illness from Oct 14 and was cleared on Oct 20. No further timeline is needed because he is no longer on the injury report.