Jett Howard was listed as Day-To-Day with a right calf issue on the Mavericks' injury report Tuesday night, hours after being cleared from an illness. He is questionable for Wednesday's season opener at the Rockets.
What happened
The Mavericks listed Jett Howard as Day-To-Day with a right calf issue on Tuesday, Oct 20, at 8:49 PM ET. The report says Howard is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Rockets. He had no injury designation before this entry. Earlier on Tuesday he was cleared from Day-To-Day status after an illness that first appeared on the report on Wednesday, Oct 14. The report does not say when the calf issue surfaced or how it happened, and no further detail has been announced beyond the designation.
What it means for the Mavericks
Dallas opens the 2026-27 season at the Rockets on Wednesday, Oct 21, at 8:30 PM ET, so there is no record to measure Howard's absence against yet. Last season the 23-year-old guard averaged 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 12.6 minutes across 55 games, a bench role. When he has sat, the wing minutes have gone to Max Christie, Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson, with Brandon Williams handling backup guard duty behind Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis. The depth is already thin. Caleb Martin, Tarik Biberovic, Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama are all out on the same report.
What to watch
The next injury report before Wednesday's 8:30 PM ET tip in Houston will settle whether Howard plays. He is listed as questionable, so the Mavericks have not ruled him out. The report lists a return date of Oct 21, which lines up with the opener, but a Day-To-Day designation with a calf issue can change quickly. No timeline beyond the next game has been announced.
Is Jett Howard playing at the Rockets on Wednesday?
He is questionable. The injury report lists him as Day-To-Day with a right calf issue, and a final decision has not been announced.
When will Jett Howard be back?
The report lists a possible return of Oct 21, the date of the opener at the Rockets. Nothing beyond that has been announced.