Mavericks lose another starter for season as brutal injury curse rages on

"I've never seen this," Jason Kidd said. "Where you can't even take someone out to rest them because there's no one to put in."

This was a quote from Jason Kidd after the Dallas Mavericks' loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night, and somehow, the Dallas Mavericks' injury problem has gotten even worse since then. While it looks like Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II are on track to return at some point this season, which would give the Mavs much-needed reinforcements, it remains unclear when that will be and if it'll happen. The Mavs are still in the thick of the play-in race, but bringing back Davis or Lively II and them getting reinjured would be an absolute nightmare.

An even bigger nightmare is the exact situation they're going through right now, and it keeps getting worse. On Friday night, Dallas only had nine players available for their game against the Houston Rockets, and another Maverick went down, likely for the rest of the regular season.

Mavs' depth takes another hit after Dante Exum's season-ending injury

Dante Exum suffered a broken bone in his left hand, and he'll likely miss the remainder of the season. Exum had been the starting point guard for Dallas due to all of the injuries, and he started in 12 of the 18 games he played in this season. He missed the first three months of the season due to a right wrist injury he suffered during training camp, and his season will be cut short after only being in the lineup for a month and a half.

In 18 games for Dallas this season, Exum averaged 9.1 points, 1.7 assists, 2.8 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 44.7 percent from downtown on 2.6 attempts per game. His abnormally high 3-point percentage from last season continued into this season, but now the Mavs will have a big decision to make.

Exum is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Dallas can either bring him back or allow him to walk in free agency. He has been outstanding when he's been on the floor for the Mavericks, but the fact that he only played in 73 games over his two seasons with the team is a major red flag.

While his wrist injury from training camp was a freak accident, availability is still a major problem for him. He hasn't been able to stay healthy for most of his career, and only time will tell if Nico Harrison decides to run it back or let him sign elsewhere.

His return to the NBA over the last two seasons in Dallas has been quite impressive, as his defensive versatility, improved finishing at the rim, elite 3-point shooting, and ability to lead an offense were showcased on a nightly basis. Exum showed that he belongs in the NBA, and while his ability to be a spot starter is something the Mavericks need next season with Kyrie Irving set to miss multiple months with a torn ACL, but his injury history may just be too bad to bet on.