The Dallas Mavericks made two notable changes to their injury report following Tuesday’s shootaround in Charlotte. P.J. Washington was upgraded from questionable to probable with a left ankle sprain. Klay Thompson was downgraded from questionable to doubtful with a right adductor contusion.
The moves paint a clearer picture of who is likely to be available when Dallas faces the Charlotte Hornets, hoping to bounce back from a 100-87 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks are 21-39 on the season, having lost 13 of their last 15 games.
Cooper Flagg remains doubtful with a left midfoot sprain after missing eight consecutive games. Naji Marshall is out with a right finger contusion, and Marvin Bagley III is out with a neck sprain — two players who had been among the Mavericks’ most productive contributors before going down. Caleb Martin is probable with low back soreness. Moussa Cissé, John Poulakidas, and Tyler Smith are all questionable as two-way players. Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II remain out for the season.
P.J. Washington Upgraded to Probable
Washington went through his full workout at shootaround after missing three games with a left ankle sprain. He rolled it with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter of Dallas’s win at Brooklyn on Feb. 24 — stepping on a Nets player’s foot, going down immediately, and heading to the locker room without returning.
He leads Dallas in rebounding at 7.1 per game and is averaging 14.3 points and 1.9 assists on 44.8% shooting. With Bagley also out, the frontcourt has been spread thin.
Klay Thompson Downgraded to Doubtful
Thompson did not participate in shootaround and was on the sideline in an ANTA sweat suit rather than team gear. He exited Sunday’s 100-87 loss to Oklahoma City with a right adductor contusion and was ruled out for the remainder of that game. Kidd addressed the injury briefly postgame without offering specifics.
Thompson is averaging 11.5 points and 2.3 rebounds on 47.3% shooting this season. A player listed as doubtful has roughly a 25% chance of playing.
Cooper Flagg Active at Shootaround, Doubtful for Tuesday
Flagg was on the court in practice gear from the opening of the session, put up shots with teammates, and at one point launched a half-court heave. He has been out since Feb. 10, when he sprained the left midfoot during a road game in Phoenix. The Mavericks confirmed the diagnosis after an MRI the next day.
His upgrade from out to doubtful came Monday — the first shift in status since the injury — but Tuesday in Charlotte still appears unlikely. The organization has not put a timeline on his return and is managing the situation day to day. Boston on Friday is a more realistic window; Flagg grew up in Newport, Maine, a short drive from TD Garden, and the Celtics game comes around just once a season.
Flagg’s absence has been felt throughout the lineup. He was averaging 20.4 points on 48.2% shooting with 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks across 49 games — leading the team in scoring and steals. Dallas has had a different leading scorer in each of the last five games.
“He tries to keep guys locked in,” Daniel Gafford said. “There’s a lot of frustration, of course, because it’s not the kind of season we wanted to have. When it comes to injuries and the mental aspect of it, he comes in with a smile on his face, and he leads by example and tries to keep guys focused.”
Naji Marshall and Marvin Bagley III Both Out, Both Working
Marshall was on the court at shootaround with a ball in his hands despite being listed as out with a right finger contusion — the injury he suffered in the Feb. 28 loss to Memphis. He has not played since. Marshall has been one of the few consistent offensive options during Flagg’s absence, putting up 15.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on 53.1% shooting.
Bagley went through an extended dynamic stretching session before heading into an on-court workout. The neck sprain surfaced in late February and has kept him out since. In seven games with Dallas after arriving in the Anthony Davis trade, he averaged 13.0 points and 8.9 rebounds on 61.3% shooting.
“He’s a pro,” Kidd said. “When you look at his ability to come off the bench and give us that energy — things that we might not have had here in the past. Just the offensive rebounding. It just feels like he’s been with us since training camp.”
Kyrie Irving Running Full Court, Dereck Lively II Shooting Free Throws in Boot
Irving was doing full-court sprints after resistance work — more than expected from a player still months from a potential return. Before the All-Star break, he’d frequently gone through on-court workouts that were emblematic of his pre-injury routine, while working in one-on-one competition with members of the coaching staff.
Now, a full year since Irving’s ACL injury, he has been sidelined since March 3, 2025. He has not played a minute this season after averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on 47.3% shooting across 50 games last year — a season in which he was named to his ninth All-Star team.
Lively was shooting free throws at the other end while wearing a boot on his right foot. He underwent season-ending surgery in December to address swelling and discomfort in the foot he had operated on the previous July to remove bone spurs.
Dallas expects him back for training camp next fall. In seven games before the surgery, Lively averaged 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 16.4 minutes per game.
Caleb Martin Probable; Two-Way Players Questionable
Martin is probable with low back soreness after posting a season-high 18 points Sunday against Oklahoma City — going 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three in 30 minutes. It was the first time he had led the Mavericks in scoring this season. Averaging 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 51 games, Martin has operated primarily as a defensive specialist and spot contributor.
“Just really more touches, getting the ball, more minutes,” Martin said. “Just getting a better feel, trying to get to certain spots and not missing easy ones I know I can make.”
Martin credited the uptick in his three-point shooting to settling into his role.
“Just comfortability,” Martin said. “Finding my place in this group, feeling better. And obviously gaining confidence through playing minutes and getting those reps in games. And my teammates looking for me, sharing the ball, putting me in positions to get good shots.”
New two-way signings John Poulakidas and Tyler Smith were in practice jerseys, getting shots up after signing on Saturday. Moussa Cissé was in team gear. Cissé, Poulakidas, and Smith are questionable as two-way players.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
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