The bad injury news keeps coming for the Mavericks, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that second-year forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper has a significant right wrist injury and is expected to require season-ending surgery. Prosper has been diagnosed with ligament damage in that wrist, Charania adds (via Twitter).
The 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Prosper didn’t play major minutes in the first half of Dallas’ season, but has become a more frequent member of the rotation in recent weeks as the team’s injuries have piled up.
Since January 20, Prosper has appeared in all 21 of the Mavericks’ games and made four starts. During that stretch, the 22-year-old has averaged 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 17.0 minutes per night, with a .410/.207/.689 shooting line. For the season, he has registered 3.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 0.8 APG in 11.2 MPG across 52 appearances.
Prosper is under contract for $3MM next season. Dallas will have to decide by October 31, 2025 whether or not to pick up his $5.26MM option for the 2026/27 season.
In addition to Prosper, the Mavericks’ injury list currently includes Anthony Davis (adductor strain), Kyrie Irving (ACL tear), Daniel Gafford (knee sprain), Jaden Hardy (ankle sprain), Dereck Lively (ankle stress fracture), P.J. Washington (ankle sprain), and Kai Jones (quad strain). Many of those players have already missed several weeks or will be out for an extended period going forward — or both.
[RELATED: Mavericks Issue Updates On Davis, Lively, Gafford]
The one piece of good news in Dallas is that Caleb Martin, acquired at last month’s trade deadline, has been cleared to make his Mavs debut on Friday vs. Memphis, according to head coach Jason Kidd (Twitter link via Christian Clark of The Athletic). Kidd said there are “no expectations” for Martin in his first game with his new team, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
“He’s going to (play) 15 minutes. The biggest expectation is to be healthy coming out of this,” Kidd said. “For his 15 minutes, we hope that it’s going to be a great experience.”
Mavericks guard Dante Exum will also be available on Friday after missing one game with a right foot contusion, Kidd confirmed.
Of course. They’re cursed.
They are so cursed that even Brunson got hurt and he’s not even on the team anymore lol
This isn’t even funny anymore. I’m the last guy to root for a Dallas team, but this is absolutely ridiculous. How the hell!
The Curse of Laker Luka!! Never before has a GM so royally effed themself. Karma is helping Major League this team to Vegas so we North Texans can get a franchise that hasn’t been flown into a volcano.
It’s certainly brutal but there are crazier examples in sports. Like the Red Sox trading Babe Ruth for cash.
WillDS is right about the Babe Ruth trade. Might be the worst in sports history. Atlanta traded Bill Russell draft rights to Boston is another one
Oh, highlighting how this particular first round pick hasn’t developed at this point is aweful timing for Nico.
Guess he won’t ’Prosper’ this year.
The NBA players today probably do not work out
Wow this is something ……….
Luka leaves —— AD goes down, Kyrie goes down, Prosper goes down. The Slovenia curse. And old European revenge curse …….
Should Mavs tank ………. Kyrie won’t be back till all star break at best. Probably end of season.