Mavericks' first starting lineup hints Dusty May is ready to bet on Morez Johnson Jr.

The Dallas Mavericks' first preseason game was early Friday morning, and fans finally got to see the starting lineup that Dusty May would roll out in his first (preseason) game as head coach. While there were several injuries, with key players like Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington sitting out, May started Naji Marshall, Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher, Cooper Flagg, and Morez Johnson Jr.

One through four in this starting unit makes complete sense, and shouldn't be too shocking after seeing the injury report released before the game. May has complimented Naji's ability to playmake during training camp, Christie is the most proven shooter on the team, Risacher has been a standout at training camp, and Flagg is their superstar.

Dusty May started Morez Johnson Jr. in his first game

With Irving and Washington sidelined, this is about how most fans would guess May's first starting unit would look from point guard through power forward, but his decision at center shows he's ready to bet on Johnson Jr. right away. May didn't play it slow with Rez. He threw him into the fire in his first NBA game.

May started Johnson Jr. over Daniel Gafford, who has started 96 games for Dallas over the last 2.5 seasons. Gafford has drawn some buzz during training camp due to May's emphasis on getting him to start taking threes within the flow of the offense, but May rolled the dice and started the young rookie instead.

In 12 minutes, Johnson Jr. finished with four points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal. He knocked down a three, showcased his defensive versatility, and was active. It was an extremely limited sample size from the former Michigan Wolverine, but being part of the starting lineup in the preseason opener is a sign that May could be ready to hand him a starting role during the regular season.

Preseason lineups don't mean everything, but this feels different

First, let's not fully overreact to preseason starting lineups. Olivier-Maxence Prosper started in Dallas' preseason opener as a rookie in 2023 before being relegated to a limited role for the regular season. Head coaches try things all the time during the preseason, but things seem a little bit different this time around.

May coached Rez at Michigan before the team drafted him with the ninth pick earlier this summer, and this longtime connection bodes well for Johnson Jr. He played a key role in helping the Wolverines win the National Championship, and the Mavericks liked the intel that May provided them with about Johnson Jr. enough to take him in the top 10 of a loaded draft class.

Mavericks' center situation gives Johnson Jr. a real path to starting

On top of May and Johnson Jr.'s history together, Dereck Lively II's injury status also gives Johnson Jr. some hope of being the day-one starter. Lively II is still sidelined as he recovers from foot surgery that he underwent in December, leaving the starting center spot up for grabs.

Gafford and Johnson Jr. are the most logical candidates, given Gafford's experience and MJJ's potential, but May decided to pick his rookie for the first time around. Gafford's constant presence in trade rumors over the last few seasons leaves his long-term future with the team shaky as well, meaning Johnson Jr. could quietly be in a great position to be Dallas' starting big man.

If anyone loves Morez's game, it's Coach May, and his early trust in the 20-year-old big shows that he's ready to see what he can do.

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