The Dallas Mavericks have found success for most of the years between 2011 and 2024, but the Mavericks had to make do without a defensive presence protecting the rim. Dereck Lively II’s defensive presence has solved the Mavericks’ glaring issue entering year two in the NBA. Lively II protects the rim and plays a perimeter defense, a plus for any NBA player.
Lively II concluded the 2023-24 NBA season with 7.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, along with a 67.4 field goal percentage. Lively II’s most recent stats were one of the reasons why he finished in sixth place in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting. How will Lively II fare in the league this season? Read on for his potential ability to solve one of the Mavericks’ biggest issues.
Dallas Mavericks’ Glaring Issue
The Dallas Mavericks’ glaring issue — their void at center — has plagued them over the years. The Mavericks’ then-Head Coach Rick Carlisle reportedly didn’t give rookies much playing time. Even though Dereck Lively II was only 20 years old in 2021, Lively II’s potential was there, despite an injury-shortened season at Duke.
Fast forward to 2023, when the Mavericks’ newest Head Coach Jason Kidd led the team, and Lively II was drafted with the 12th overall pick. Kidd reportedly pushed the public’s narratives surrounding the Mavericks aside, and Lively II’s speed in the depth chart race increased for good.
Lively II’s Services
Dereck Lively II’s services seem to end the Dallas Mavericks’ search for a replacement after veteran center Tyson Chandler left the team after the 2011 NBA Finals. The New York Knicks acquired Chandler through a sign-and-trade in a three-team trade on December 10, 2011. Chandler’s 19-year NBA career ended after the 2020 NBA Playoffs as a member of the Houston Rockets. His final career game was Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round against the Oklahoma City Thunder on August 29, 2020.
Lively II’s Career Lessons
According to WFAA, the Dallas Mavericks had a large gap in a capable big man with shot-blocking ability and a pick-and-roll prowess between the 1980s’ James Donaldson and the 2010s’ Tyson Chandler. The Mavericks almost had another large gap, but Dereck Lively II appears to be the Mavericks’ new rim-protecting stalwart for the next decade.
Although a Duke product instead of a prep-to-pro, Dereck Lively II’s NBA career lessons partially stemmed from Chandler. Lively II recently told Noah Weber of FanSided’s The Smoking Cuban, “Being able to be mentally tough. I look at him and I see myself plus 20, 25 years… (Chandler) being able to guide me, it makes me that much more confident in who I am. Knowing that he has my back, he’s confident in me…” The Mavericks reportedly wanted to connect the dots quickly, so they partnered Lively II, a rising rookie center, with Chandler, an NBA championship-winning center, as a mentor.
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