Mavericks' next dominant frontcourt trio rests on Dereck Lively II's health

The Dallas Mavericks' future is promising.

Morez Johnson Jr. and Cooper Flagg are an intriguing young duo

Despite some skeptics coming out of the woodwork this summer, the Mavericks are in a great spot with Cooper Flagg as their franchise cornerstone and Morez Johnson Jr. as his potential young co-star. Dallas drafted Johnson Jr. with the No. 9 pick this summer, and he and Flagg are poised to form an excellent frontcourt combination due to their impact on winning, love for defense, and team-first mentality.

Teams are going to be terrified when they see Johnson Jr. and Flagg as two of Dallas' top defenders if both players continue to develop and reach their potential, and the Mavs are set at the three and the four for years to come with these two players.

Dereck Lively II could complete Dallas' Flagg-era big three

Johnson Jr. projects to be a foundational piece next to Flagg, but they can't be the only two young anchors in the frontcourt if the Mavs want to build something special. Dallas needs an impactful big man to play the five with Johnson Jr. and Flagg at small forward and power forward, leaving Dereck Lively II as the most likely candidate to join this frontcourt trio.

Lively II's health is the biggest uncertainty

Lively II is 22 years old, was the Mavs' best center during their NBA Finals run in his rookie year, and is an elite defender. The only problem is that he can't stay on the court. If Lively II wants to be in this frontcourt big three, he has to prove that he can stay healthy for a full season. If he can't, his Mavericks career could be over before it even begins.

D-Live has played just 98 games over three seasons, including seven last season. Injuries have held him back from cementing himself as a key long-term piece in Dallas, and he has to stay healthy if the Mavs want him as part of their new-era big three. Many of his injuries have been lower-body injuries, and he has had multiple surgeries on his right foot.

This many injuries on a 7-footer is typically a recipe for disaster, but he'll have the chance to dispel the notion that he's injury-prone next season.

While Kyrie Irving must be considered for any potential future big three that's been talked about with the Mavs, the fact of the matter is that he is 34 years old. Teams have been calling about Irving this summer, and while Dallas hasn't shown any interest in trading him, their stance could change.

Why the Mavericks need Lively II to break out

If the Mavericks move on from Irving and fully embrace the Flagg era, Lively II will be in prime position to become one of the faces of the franchise. MFFLs fell in love with his game during his rookie year and stood behind him after he lost his mother right before the playoffs, and he is one of the longest-tenured players on the team despite only entering his fourth season.

He's a real breakout candidate for the 2026-27 season, but any idea of him being a building block in Dallas needs to be thrown out the window if he can't stay on the court. His contract expires after next season, and their decision to keep him or not will likely depend on how many games he plays.

They shouldn't give him a new deal if he can't prove that he can stay healthy for a full year. But if he can, and Dallas gives him a new deal, fans should be ecstatic about what a trio of Flagg, Lively II, and Johnson Jr. looks like in the long term.

All three players are elite, switchable defenders who crash the glass, play hard, and have great size. If they have good shooting and creation around them, Dallas has a great core to work with as Dusty May begins his NBA career.

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