Mavericks' rumored dream hinges entirely on a single future-threatening factor

The Dallas Mavericks strongly believe that Dereck Lively II will become a future Defensive Player of the Year and morph into one of the best defensive players in the NBA year in and year out, but their dream of this happening rests on his health, as he has struggled to stay on the floor through his first two years in the association.

Lively II played in 91 games over his first two NBA seasons, with his sophomore season being much more injury-plagued than his rookie year. He played in 36 games in his second season, with ankle injuries quietly becoming his nemesis.

He always seems to be rolling an ankle at the worst times, and one of his "ankle" injuries from last season turned into something much more severe. Dallas thought that Lively II had sprained his ankle in January, but it ended up being a stress fracture, and he missed two and a half months of games before returning right before the Play-In Tournament.

Lively II must stay healthy to be a future Defensive Player of the Year

Freak injuries or not, Lively II has not been able to stay on the floor as much as Mavericks fans would like during his time in Dallas, and this is something that is definitely going to have to change for the better before he can be in talks to be one of the best defensive players in the NBA.

The numbers don't lie, as Lively II is clearly on the right path to do just that. He averaged 1.5 blocks per game over his first two seasons in the league despite only playing 23.4 minutes per game, and his defensive stats should only rise as he becomes more and more vital to Dallas' success.

In order to win Defensive Player of the Year, a player must play in at least 65 games, and this is a mark that Lively II has missed in both of his first two seasons. He is going to have to take a major step in the right direction when it comes to keeping his body healthy to earn some respect in these conversations, and this could all start next season.

If Lively II can stay healthy, and if the Mavericks exceed expectations and become a top contender in the Western Conference, he could find himself making one of the NBA's All-Defensive Teams. This is the perfect first step to becoming a future Defensive Player of the Year, and it would get some chatter going around the league that the springy young big man brings as much value on the defensive end as anyone.

Lively II's rim protection, athleticism, size, lateral quickness to defend guards when needed, and length make him a monster on the defense, and the rest of the league could realize how lethal he can be with the Mavs set to be under a major microscope next season. With Cooper Flagg beginning his rookie year and Anthony Davis entering his first full season in Dallas, all eyes will be on the Mavericks.

Everything they do, good or bad, is going to be talked about all season long, and this is great news for Lively II to solidify himself as one of the best young centers in the NBA. Lively II has gotten the respect he deserves from fans and media, especially in the Dallas market, but seemingly every conversation that is had about him comes with the asterisk of whether he is durable or not.

Remaining available to play is by no means easy, especially for a 7-footer, and the Mavs' hope for Lively II to win Defensive Player of the Year one day will all rest on this reality. If Lively II can stay on the floor and continue to grow, the sky is the limit. If not, he could always be known as a what-if.