Dereck Lively II’s potential for Mavericks is higher than ever imagined

As we are truly in the dog days of the NBA offseason, diehard Mavericks fans are brewing with anticipation in regard to this upcoming season. There are a lot of things to be excited for when it comes to the 2024-25 Mavericks season, as Dallas had one of their most abundant offseason periods in franchise history whilst still being able to retain the majority of a core that helped them reach the NBA Finals last season.

As exciting as Dallas’ upcoming season projects to be with all the new faces entering the building, the most exciting narrative heading into next season could potentially be the ascension of Dereck Lively II’s development.

As is well known by now, Lively II surpassed practically all initial expectations in his rookie season with the Mavericks, as he averaged 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds in a role that fluctuated throughout the season.

Dereck Lively II's potential is unbelievably high

Lively II projects to be a menace on the defensive end next year, as he’s an explosive rim protector with great length and height who can also anchor down and guard wings on the perimeter at times. Lively II is the ultimate versatile chess piece for Dallas at center, and he looked increasingly polished on the offensive end as last season went on.

Lively II is a player that many teams in the NBA would die to have given his skillset and efficiency at such a young age, and many analysts in the basketball world seem to agree as well. In a collaborative piece by multiple staff members at The Athletic, Lively II was listed as the fifth-best prospect in an NBA all-21-and-under mock draft.

The Athletic wrote about how Lively II was already a perfect complement to Luka Doncic in the pick and roll as well the fact that he was a very polished passer in the short roll, as they clearly recognize how advanced Lively II’s skillset and demeanor were for a rookie who had to battle tremendous adversity last year.

It’s great to see Lively II garnering positive attention from the national media, as he’s very deserving of it after solidifying himself as a force to be reckoned with for years after showing his poise in Dallas’ long playoff run to the NBA Finals last season.

As Lively II continues to add strength and different intangibles to his offensive game he’s bound to only get better developmentally, hence why it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an All-Star appearance at some point in the near future, as he's already projected to be the full-time starting center for the Mavericks next season.

Lively II’s potential may be higher than the Mavericks ever realized, so they can’t make the mistake of taking him for granted like they did with fellow great Mavericks center Tyson Chandler once upon a time.