Mavericks Nightly
All teams
The Big D Breakdown · Morning

Dallas's Frontcourt Math: Three Injuries, One Return Date

Lively II, Irving and Aldama share one return date ahead of the Rockets preseason opener.

2026-10-01Return TargetLively II, Irving, Aldama
2026-10-09Preseason Openervs Rockets, at home
+13 minutes a nightCisse's Minuteslast season, teammate out
20 reboundsCisse's Reboundsseason high, April 12
By the Mavericks Nightly Desk · Friday, September 18

Dereck Lively II, Kyrie Irving and Santi Aldama share an estimated return of 2026-10-01, all three ahead of the preseason opener at home against the Rockets on October 9. Last season showed what fills that gap: Moussa Cisse's minutes rose 13 a night and his rebounds hit a season-high 20 when a teammate sat, while Ryan Nembhard added 14 more minutes a night in the same role.

Mavericks Nightly artwork
Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Three Names, One Date

Lively II, Irving and Aldama are each tagged for an estimated return of 2026-10-01, 8 days before the preseason opener at home against the Rockets on October 9 and 20 days before the regular-season opener at Houston on October 21. Dusty May's camp has to settle rotation questions fast if any of the three slips past that date.

The Cisse Precedent

When a teammate sat out last season, Moussa Cisse's minutes jumped 13 a night and Ryan Nembhard's rose 14. Cisse's biggest night came April 12, a season-high 20 rebounds, more than triple his usual haul. Both are real answers if Lively II or Aldama need extra time in October.

What Camp Still Owes

None of that came with Dallas chasing a playoff spot, so camp still has to decide whether Cisse and Nembhard earn real rotation trust or just emergency innings. The Washington-Gafford-Williams-Christie-Flagg group finished last season at +2.2 over 73 minutes, the best mark of the three lineups tracked, and it's the group Dallas leans on once the injured three are back.

Will Kyrie Irving be ready for opening night?

His estimated return is 2026-10-01, more than two weeks before Dallas's October 21 opener at Houston, though no game-by-game update has followed.

Who is Moussa Cisse?

He's the backup center who set a season-high 20 rebounds last season and saw his minutes climb 13 a night whenever a teammate was out.

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

More from The Big D Breakdown

all Mavericks news →
Cap watch · Thu, Sep 17Cap Watch: Dallas Sits $2.5M Below the Tax LineThe big question · Thu, Sep 17The Big Question: Is Defense Enough to Get Dallas Back?Morning · Thu, Sep 17Dusty May Completes His Staff With a Former Head CoachFrom the archives · Wed, Sep 16From the Archives: Nowitzki's 21 Years Are Still the YardstickBy the numbers · Wed, Sep 16By the Numbers: Five Figures Behind the Mavericks' BetMorning · Wed, Sep 16Mavs' Countdown: Preseason and Opener Both Run Through Houston