Dereck Lively II

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that Dallas's buyout of Klay Thompson was partly about roster math tied to keeping center Moussa Cisse as backup insurance behind Dereck Lively II.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report lists Dereck Lively II among young players who could hit the trade block, pointing to his injury record, the final year of his rookie deal and a Dallas frontcourt now built around Cooper Flagg.