Dallas Mavericks Add Jett Howard To Injury Report As Questionable For Season Opener At Houston Rockets
HOUSTON — The Dallas Mavericks added Jett Howard to their injury report Tuesday evening with right calf tightness. The two-way wing is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s season opener against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.
Howard was not on the report Dallas filed earlier Tuesday, which ruled out four players for the opener. Santi Aldama is out following right knee surgery, and Dereck Lively II is out following right foot surgery. Tarik Biberović is out with right heel bursitis, and Caleb Martin is out with a right thumb sprain.
Aldama has not played since an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on March 17. Lively’s last game was Nov. 21, 2025, against the New Orleans Pelicans, and he has not been medically cleared.
Houston has two players listed as questionable. Center Steven Adams is dealing with a calf injury, and forward Julian Phillips has an illness.
Kyrie Irving is not on the report. Irving has not played a regular-season game since he tore the ACL in his left knee on March 3, 2025, and he said after practice Monday that he was excited to play in Houston.
Jett Howard Missed Final Two Preseason Games With Illness
An illness kept Howard out of the Oct. 14 preseason game against New Orleans. He also sat out Friday’s 135-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the exhibition finale.
Before the illness, Howard played in both of the Mavericks’ preseason games against the Rockets in Macao, China. In the Oct. 9 opener, a Dallas loss, he scored 8 points with 1 rebound and 3 assists on 3-of-6 shooting, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, in 16 minutes.
Two days later, Howard had 4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist on 1-of-5 shooting in 9 minutes of the Mavericks’ 132-115 win. It was Dallas’ only victory in a 1-3 preseason.
Howard Signed Two-Way Contract With Dallas Mavericks In July
Dallas signed Howard to a two-way contract on July 20. The deal covers one season, and it allows him to be active for up to 50 of the Mavericks’ 82 regular-season games. He is not eligible for the playoffs unless Dallas converts him to a standard contract.
The Orlando Magic drafted Howard 11th overall in 2023. Over three seasons in Orlando, he averaged 4.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 11.0 minutes across 133 games. The Magic declined his fourth-year option in the fall of 2025.
Last season, Howard averaged 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 12.6 minutes over 55 games. He made 54-of-145 3-point attempts for a career-high 37.2%. At the free-throw line, he went 37-of-39 for a career-high 94.9%.
Tip-off Wednesday is set for 7:30 p.m. CT. The Mavericks play at the Indiana Pacers on Friday, then host the San Antonio Spurs in their home opener Saturday at 7 p.m. CT at American Airlines Center. Houston visits American Airlines Center on Oct. 30.
