The Dallas Mavericks have had a nightmare season this year, from trading Luka Doncic to a barrage of injuries that followed the stunning deal. Despite all of that, Dallas has made it out to the other side and is now in the hunt for one of the final two spots in the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.

The Mavericks have started to get some guys back from some of their injuries. Anthony Davis is back in the lineup after missing a lot of time with an adductor strain and Daniel Gifford and Dereck Lively are both getting back into the flow as well.

Kyrie Irving isn't coming back this season after suffering a torn ACL, but the Mavericks could be getting a key backcourt piece in Dante Exum back very soon, according to Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.

“Dante Exum (left hand surgery) is now questionable for the Lakers-Mavericks game,” Mistretta reported on X, formerly Twitter.

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This is a major development for Exum, who is ahead of schedule in his recovery from hand surgery. Adding him back into the lineup gives the Mavericks more lineup flexibility as they head into the play-in and a potential playoff series.

Whether Exum can go for Wednesday's game against the Lakers is still up in the air, but the Mavericks certainly would like all hands on deck for Doncic's return to Dallas.

Exum can knock down shots on the perimeter, but his defensive acumen is the biggest asset that he brings to this Mavericks team. Dallas is going to be offensively challenged without Irving on the floor, but the defense still has a very high ceiling with the trio of bigs, spearheaded by Davis, in the middle and pesky defenders like Exum on the perimeter.

If the Mavericks can finish strong and snag either the No. 9 or 10 spot in the West, they would play either the Sacramento Kings or the Phoenix Suns in the first play-in game. With the way that those teams have been trending, they will feel good about their chances to get into the second play-in game with a chance at the playoffs.