Dereck Lively II's growth will have serious implications on Mavericks' future

When talking about the Dallas Mavericks and their future, most people's minds immediately think of Luka Doncic.

Doncic has been one of the greatest players in the NBA for the last five years, and he'll be in MVP conversations for the rest of his career. His offensive dominance and feel for the game are beyond his years, and he holds the keys to the franchise.

Everyone knows what Doncic is going to bring on a nightly basis and moving forward, but the same can't be said about one of Dallas' young rising stars.

Lively II's development could make or break Mavericks' future

Dereck Lively II had an outstanding rookie year, and his development moving forward is key for the Mavs to remain in NBA Finals contention for years to come.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes wrote a story titled "The Biggest X-Factor for Every NBA Team's Long-Term Future," and the player from the Mavs he chose was Lively II. Hughes praised Lively II's defense, saying "his potential to defend the rim, end possessions on the glass and survive in space on switches was obvious immediately."

Lively II's defensive gifts were obvious right away, and he was constantly improving all season long.

As a rookie, Lively II averaged 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 74.7 percent from the field. Lively II's scoring heavily depended on lobs at first, but his journey as a defender was a different story.

At the beginning of last season, Lively II struggled to defend in space. He didn't fully look comfortable when switching on the perimeter, but things changed in front of everyone's eyes over the next couple of months. Lively II became a great perimeter defender, and he showed flashes that he could morph into one of the best defenders in the NBA over the next few years.

He was Dallas' defensive anchor, and the Mavs will need for him to continue to improve to maximize their championship chances. Lively II is on a rookie deal, and capitalizing during this time is crucial considering that they won't have to pay him the big bucks for a while.

Offensively, Doncic and Lively II are an outstanding duo. Lively II is a great lob finisher in the pick and roll, and Doncic gained trust in the young rookie before the season even began. They were lethal when in two-on-one situations and Lively II's feel for the game allowed his pick-and-roll game to continuously improve.

Lively II's passing out of the short roll was one of his many strengths, and this skill of his is going to help Klay Thompson fit right away. He always seems to make the right play when he gets the ball in the short roll, and Thompson is likely going to get plenty of open corner threes coming off of Lively II passes.

If Lively II can take a leap in his second year, the Mavs are going to be in a great spot. He has already shown flashes that he will be elite in the pick and roll and as a rim protector, and him slowly expanding his offensive game moving forward will help turn him into a star.

Lively II is looking to become a better scorer in the paint, but he has also shown flashes that he can be an effective 3-point shooter one day. He knocked down the first three of his NBA career in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, and the sky is the limit for him if he can be a consistent shooter.

The Mavs have found their center of the future with Lively II, and Dallas could find themselves in a great spot moving forward if his development goes as planned.