Masai Ujiri vows to fix what quietly wrecked the Mavericks

After multiple seasons of nonstop injuries in Dallas, Masai Ujiri is ready to fix the team's medical department. Ujiri was named the Dallas Mavericks' new president and alternate governor this week, and he mentioned that he has been studying the medical side of the game over the last year that he was out of the NBA.

"One of the things I think we have to get better here is how we figure out medically what we do," Ujiri said during his introductory press conference.

Masai Ujiri knows what the Mavericks need to improve

The Mavericks' medical department has been under heavy criticism over the last few years, and they took a step in the right direction earlier this offseason by firing Johan Bilsborough, the former director of health and performance. Ujiri could eye more changes here this offseason to prioritize the team's health, and he'll look at the organization from a bird's-eye view to determine how they can improve.

Dallas has gone through some of the most injury-riddled seasons we've seen in recent memory, and something has to change. The biggest red flag within Dallas' medical team was misdiagnosing Dereck Lively II's stress fracture as an ankle sprain during the 2024-25 season, and they're lucky that they found it before he returned to the court.

Lively II has played in just 98 games over his first three seasons in the association, and they have to find a way to keep him healthy next season. He's too valuable to spend most of his time in street clothes, and his fourth season will be pivotal for his future with the team as he'll become a restricted free agent after next season (assuming Dallas doesn't give him an extension).

The Mavericks' other center, Daniel Gafford, has also been in and out of the lineup over the last two seasons. He has played fewer than 60 games in back-to-back seasons after playing 74 games in 2023-24, and he couldn't catch a break last season.

Gafford sprained his ankle within the first 10 minutes of practice during training camp, and he was never the same after that. He was seemingly always reaggravating it, and he also dealt with a shoulder injury toward the end of the year. Dallas' center rotation was banged up for the entire season, and this definitely can't happen again if they want to return to the playoffs.

Dallas' injury problem wasn't limited to Gafford and Lively II

On top of Gafford and Lively II, Caleb Martin, Kyrie Irving, and P.J. Washington have also battled some serious injuries. Irving hasn't played since March of 2025 due to a torn ACL, and both Martin and Washington have played fewer than 60 games over the last two seasons.

You can't win a title without your guys being able to stay on the court, and Ujiri knows this. He's the Mavericks' head decision-maker moving forward, and the fact that he mentioned the team's medical department during his introductory press conference is notable.

More big medical changes could be on the way, and if Dallas can get them right, they'll be in a great position to return to the playoffs.

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