The Dallas Mavericks’ 2024-25 season has been plagued by injuries, prompting head coach Jason Kidd to address the issue candidly. To manage the growing list of injuries, the Mavericks made a roster adjustment by signing Kylor Kelley from the G League on a two-way contract and waiving Jazian Gortman to make room. Kelley now joins Brandon Williams and Kessler Edwards as the team’s three two-way players.
The Mavericks’ frontcourt has been particularly affected, with Dereck Lively II sidelined by an ankle injury and Maxi Kleber sustaining a foot injury during Saturday’s loss to the Boston Celtics. After reaching the NBA Finals last season, fueled by trades for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, the team has struggled this year, holding a 24-22 record and sitting 11th in the Western Conference.
Kylor Kelley began the season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. Under the terms of his two-way contract, he can play in up to 50 NBA games but won’t be eligible for the playoffs unless converted to a standard deal. His NBA journey began when he went undrafted in the 2020 draft and signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Most recently, he was part of the Los Angeles Lakers’ training camp.
In nine G League games this season, Kelley averaged 9.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 blocks in about 24 minutes per game, shooting 64.5% from the field and 66.7% from three. Known for his energy and rim protection, Kelley is a 7-footer who could make an immediate impact for the Mavericks, given their injury-riddled frontcourt.
