Mavericks coach Jason Kidd shares massive plans for rookies Lively II and Prosper

Noah Weber

2023 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot / Jamie Squire/GettyImages

The Dallas Mavericks had a massive draft night back in June.

They started their night off by trading back from the No. 10 pick to 12 while shedding Davis Bertans' contract to land Dereck Lively II and a traded player exception. This move addressed two major needs for the Mavs as they desperately needed a rim protector and needed Bertans' contract off their books.

Later that night, they used the traded player exception in a trade with the Sacramento Kings to trade back into the first round to draft Olivier-Maxence Prosper and acquire Richaun Holmes.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd shares massive plans for rookies Lively II and Prosper

This was another great move as they gained frontcourt depth and a wing that can play right away. Fans and media alike have been skeptical of how much these rookies will play in year one, but Mavs coach Jason Kidd cleared this up.

Kidd was on NBA Insider Marc Stein's radio show "Saturday Stein Line with Marc Stein" and talked about both rookies' potential roles this season.

"I look for those rookies to play a lot this season. They are going to be a part of our fabric. There could be a chance of one of them starting...I've talked to the coaching staff and Nico (Harrison) about starting Lively with Luka (Doncic) and Kai (Kyrie Irving) and Grant (Williams), and we'll see how that goes."
Jason Kidd

This is exciting intel from Jason Kidd, as he confirms that both rookies will have big roles this season and be key pieces to what the Mavs do. Kidd also confirmed that both rookies will run with the starting lineup during training camp and possibly the first two preseason games in Abu Dhabi.

Kidd is doing this to see how they fit alongside Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Grant Williams, and by opening night, both rookies could be starting. He seems more confident in Lively II starting, but Prosper could end up starting on the wing too.

This would give Dallas an extremely young starting lineup, as every starter other than Irving would be under 25 years old.

It's unclear how plausible a starting lineup with both rookies is during the regular season, but it's evident that both Prosper and Lively II will be essential pieces of Dallas' rotation.

We'll have you covered with all the latest news and rumors surrounding Jason Kidd, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Dereck Lively III this season, so stay tuned.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.