Mavericks' controversial starting lineup battle finally has an undeniable answer

The Dallas Mavericks will be under heavy pressure this upcoming season for countless reasons.

Not only is the organization under pressure to have a bounce-back season after missing the playoffs last season, but specific players who are returning will have a lot to prove to themselves, and the fans.

The Mavericks have the best center duo in the NBA with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. Each of them will have to show they can stay healthy for the entire season, but outside of that, Lively II has to prove he's worthy of being the Mavericks' franchise center for years to come.

Dereck Lively II needs to start over Daniel Gafford for Dallas

Every single Mavericks fan has been back and forth on who should start for the team at the center position to begin next season. From arguments in social media comments to podcast episodes and more, it seems like MFFLs are split on who should be the starting center to begin Cooper Flagg's rookie year. Since the Mavericks drafted Lively II with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, they are 40-31 when he's in the starting lineup. Since they acquired Gafford in a trade, he's 31-21 as a starter.

Both players provide different skills and have proven that they can be effective starters when called upon, but it makes more sense to start Lively II for two main reasons.

First, if the Mavericks truly believe Lively II can stay healthy and want him to be one of their franchise cornerstones, it's crucial that he starts consistently rather than switching with Gafford occasionally.

Secondly, Lively II is a great passer and facilitator. In his 33 games played with Klay Thompson last season, the Mavericks had a positive net rating of 7.5. The biggest question mark on this roster is shooting, and until it isn't the biggest question, it's very crucial that the Mavericks maximize Thompson's time on the floor and pair him with Lively II.

Lively II's passing out of the short roll is special, and with the Mavericks' starting five already having shooting concerns, it makes more sense to start Lively II to try to maximize their 3-point shooting.

Although Lively II and Gafford will likely play around the same minutes on some nights, regardless of who starts, it's important that Lively II and Thompson are able to be on the floor together often. Thompson has had a productive offseason, and with him likely starting at the two next to D'Angelo Russell, he needs all the help he can get.

Between those two centers, the one thing that hasn't been fully proven yet is which player will be able to space the floor better with Anthony Davis, since he'll be playing power forward. Gafford does have some experience with playing in a double big-lineup with Kristaps Porzingis when they shared the court for the Washington Wizards, but he fits better in the second unit, likely next to P.J. Washington.

For Lively II, outside of the very few games he played with Davis last season, this is new for him. The Mavericks will need to maximize Davis' time on the floor, so Lively II will have to adjust quickly and potentially learn how to space the floor so the paint isn't always clogged on offense.

If Lively II isn't able to adjust to the double-big lineup, there is a world where it makes more sense to have Gafford in the starting lineup and sub in Lively II when the Mavericks want to only have one big in the game.

For now though, it makes more sense for Jason Kidd to put Lively II in the starting five, and he'll have the chance to prove that he is one of the best young bigs in the NBA.