Mavericks' brutal injury twist hands Jason Kidd a no-win starting five dilemma

The Dallas Mavericks dealt with more injuries than anyone could have imagined last season, as seemingly every key player dealt with a setback at some point, ultimately derailing their season down the stretch. Jason Kidd said he had never seen anything like this when it comes to injuries, and he seemingly never had a full roster. This injury curse continued into the offseason, as both Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II had various surgeries, and while Lively II is expected to be healthy by training camp, his foot surgery could cause him to move to the bench with Daniel Gafford moving into the starting lineup.

In the 2024-25 season, when Lively II was healthy, he was typically the starting center for Dallas, but that could change next season as Kidd has plenty of new players joining his squad, including Cooper Flagg and D'Angelo Russell.

Last season, Gafford had one of the best seasons of his career, as he averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 70.2 percent from the field. Gafford's scoring around the basket definitely improved, and his focus on putting on more muscle in the offseason paid off.

Kidd should explore starting Gafford to begin the regular season

He was much more powerful, dominant, and confident around the rim last season compared to years past, and with Lively II suffering another injury, it could be in both sides' interest to move him to a bench role to begin the season. Even with Lively II expected to be good to go before the start of the regular season, a bench role could slightly reduce his workload, which may lead to better availability in the long run, when games matter most at the end of the season and into the playoffs.

This shouldn't be seen as a negative for Lively II, as this new role of the bench could benefit his on-court play as well as his health, and he is just as important for the future as he is for the present.

Last season for Dallas, Lively II played in 36 games, with multiple injuries causing him to be in and out of the lineup. While he had a great season and took major strides as a passer, his injuries were concerning, and a sixth man role may fit his game and body best.

Lively II coming off the bench to at least begin the year would help preserve his long-term availability, and regardless of who starts, Kidd has proved that he is going to play Lively II and Gafford similar minute totals (depending on the matchup). Both centers are going to play big minutes, and the one-two punch is what makes them special, not who starts.

There are definitely cons to Lively II coming off the bench, such as him not being able to develop as much despite being the clear-cut center of the future, but the pros are staring right at us as well. In the second unit, Lively II could absorb more playmaking responsibilities, as he wouldn't be sharing the floor with Davis as much and could slowly begin to morph more into an offensive hub. He would also get to see the flow of the game before checking in, which could help him avoid getting into foul trouble early in games.

Both players have proved that they can hold down the fort as starters, as Gafford was a valuable starter during the entire 2024 NBA Finals run while Lively II has been the primary starter during both of his first two regular seasons, and whatever decision Kidd makes, he is going to have a good option anchoring the paint alongside Davis.