4 Dallas Mavericks who have surprisingly been bench warmers this season

The Dallas Mavericks are off to an elite start as they are sitting at 8-2 after Sunday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, and there's plenty to be happy about if you're a Mavs fan.

Dereck Lively II has been everything Dallas needed in a big man and more, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are proving they are one of the best duos in the NBA, and Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing excellently off the bench and looks like he could be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year.

The team is gelling like they never have before, and head coach Jason Kidd is coaching much better than he did last year. His rotation decisions are much better and consistent, and he seems to have already have a great feel for the new-look team.

4 Dallas Mavericks who have surprisingly been bench warmers this season

He also knows what it takes to win.

All signs are pointing to the Mavs having a successful season, but there is still plenty of basketball to be played.

Although many of the Mavericks are playing at a high level, there are some who have much smaller roles than expected.

Here are four Dallas Mavericks players that have surprisingly been bench warmers this season.

4. Richaun Holmes

The excitement from the fanbase on draft night after the team traded for Richaun Holmes was high.

Dallas traded a traded player exception for Holmes and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and it seemed like Holmes was going to have a chance to play big minutes for this squad. Despite Mark Cuban calling him one of the "most underrated pickup(s) of the summer," Holmes has struggled to crack the rotation.

He has only appeared in two games this season, and he didn't make much of an impact in either game.

Holmes averages 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in just 5.5 minutes per game for the Mavs. It doesn't look like Holmes will be a rotation piece anytime soon, and he could be someone to keep an eye on at the trade deadline as Dallas rumoredly included him in some draft night trade talks for Deandre Ayton.

Holmes could see some minutes now that Maxi Kleber is out for an extended period of time but don't expect him to be an everyday player.

3. Maxi Kleber

Maxi Kleber hasn't been a bench warmer by any means when he's been healthy, but his minutes being as low as they have been landed him on this list.

Over the last five seasons, Kleber has averaged over 20 minutes per game, and he has averaged over 24 minutes per game in the last four seasons. He has been an integral part of Dallas' roster since his rookie year, but things have started to head downhill for Kleber this season.

Last season, Kleber tore his hamstring.

This season he dislocated his toe and he is out for a couple of weeks per Mavs head Jason Kidd.

This is bad news for Dallas, but the fact that he is playing so poorly combined with his minutes already being down should help lessen the blow.

Kleber is nowhere close to the same defender he was, and the three-year, $33 million extension that Dallas gave him last offseason is not looking the best. At the time, this deal was a bargain for Dallas, but injuries combined with poor play could turn Kleber into someone that the front office may want to move on from.

Time will tell if Kleber can return to playing at a high level, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Dallas continues to not utilize him as much.

2. Seth Curry

One of the most surprising parts of the Dallas Mavericks' season this year is that Seth Curry has not been a consistent part of the rotation.

Heading into the season, Dallas' signing of Curry was heralded as one of the most underrated signings of the offseason. Dallas got him for a relatively cheap price, and his 3-point shooting ability is one of the best ever.

Shooters thrive alongisde Luka Doncic, and Curry was someone that seemingly could help the Mavs take their game to the next level.

Even though the Mavs as a team have been successful, Curry hasn't played much.

Through 10 games, Curry is averaging 2.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 25.0 percent from downtown. These numbers should go up as the season progresses, but it will be hard for him to find a rhythm if he's only playing 8.3 minutes per game.

No one expected Curry to be at the end of Dallas' bench before the season, but elite play from everyone around him has kept him on the bench for the majority of the year.

Curry would likely be able to return to the elite shooting numbers he once had if his minutes go up, but he seems to be an afterthought in Dallas' rotation right now.

1. Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Olivier-Maxence Prosper became a fan favorite on draft night, and once Summer League hit, Dallas Mavericks fans loved him even more.

Everyone knew that Prosper was going to be a good 3-and-D wing heading into Summer League, but his ability to score off the dribble is what had fans excited. Prosper was developing a better skillset than fans originally thought he had, but a rough preseason forced fans to pump the brakes on him.

He struggled during the preseason, and once the regular season hit, Prosper wasn't in the rotation. Although he has played in three games, he still hasn't been playing valuable minutes, but that could change quickly.

After Mavs head coach Jason Kidd originally said that he hadn't had a conversation with Prosper about potentially sending him to the G League, he ended up doing so on Saturday.

Prosper had 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in his G League debut with the Texas Legends, proving that he is ready for the spotlight.

It just may take some time.

He looked great when attacking the rim in the second half during his game with the Texas Legends, and it was nice to see a few 3-pointers fall for him.

Prosper is averaging 4.0 minutes per game so far this season, but this number could go way up if he proves his value as a rotation player over the next few weeks.

For all the latest on Olivier-Maxence Prosper and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.