Mavericks' dream starting lineup gives them rare shot at prestigious NBA honor

In less than a month, Cooper Flagg will make his highly anticipated debut with the Dallas Mavericks. Nobody thought that would be happening back when the 2024-25 season ended, but it's time to see the Duke phenom light up the court. Flagg is an undisputed starting player who will be around a boatload of talent on the floor. The bench of the Mavs is strong as well, which is why some guys should be in full contention for winning the Sixth Man of the Year award.

The projected starting lineup on opening night is pointing to D'Angelo Russell starting at point guard while Kyrie Irving deals with an injury. Klay Thompson will likely start at the two, Cooper Flagg will play the three, Anthony Davis will be happy to play the four, and Dereck Lively II might've just got his best edge over Daniel Gafford, growing two inches over the summer and now having the green light to shoot threes.

This looks like the perfect starting lineup, and that's not counting Irving, but the bench of the Mavs has plenty of guys to compete for the Sixth Man of the Year award, and there are plenty of guys that can go for it.

Mavs' new lineup opens door for Sixth Man of the Year race

The first name that comes out should be P.J. Washington. The former Charlotte Hornet was an obvious starter over the past two seasons. Washington has improved his 3-point shot for the better since joining the Mavs. He's suffered some slumps at times from deep, but he's been more consistent than not, especially last season.

Washington averaged just under 12 points per game in his 29 games with the Mavericks during the year he got traded, and improved to 14.7 points per game last season. He could be a monster off the bench, and he could unleash more of his shooting abilities if he plays more of the three.

Max Christie could be another name to watch, as Christie was playing some of his best ball even before the trade. The young shooting guard went from an underrated option for the Los Angeles Lakers to a versatile wing in Dallas, and has found a way to look ultra-confident in his shooting.

Christie just may be the best 3-and-D option the Mavs have, and with Thompson set to play the starting role, it looks like Christie will spend most of his time off the bench. No surprises there, but if he keeps rising like he is, he's a name to watch in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation.

Naji Marshall may be the dark horse of it all, but he's played his best basketball in a Dallas uniform. All seems right in the world when a Marshall floater goes up and in, and it almost looks automatic at this point. The former New Orleans Pelican forward is the enforcer of the team and will protect his teammates at all costs, just like he did against the Suns last season.

The bench was a huge reason why the Mavs won the NBA title back in 2011, and the talent of this bench looks very similar to a team that can do something special. The Sixth Man of the Year award hasn't been won by a Maverick since Jason Terry in 2009. This could be a golden opportunity for someone to take it.