[Saba Sports News] During an interview with Marc Stein on 97.1 The Freak in Dallas-Fort Worth, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd hinted at the possibility of rookie big man Dereck Lively II starting for the team in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Kidd stated, “It’s up for grabs,” regarding the starting center position in Dallas, expressing his intention to begin training camp with Lively as part of the starting lineup to evaluate his performance.
Lively, a former Duke center, was the 12th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, acquired by Dallas through a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite being only 19 years old, Lively stands at 7-foot-1 with a wingspan of 7-foot-7. He possesses strong rim protection potential and plays above the basket.
Given the need for the Mavericks to have a starting center who can provide vertical spacing on offense and solid paint defense alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Lively, though still developing, is in contention for the starting role against competitors like Dwight Powell and the newly-acquired Richaun Holmes. Additionally, Lively has received a significant endorsement from a former Mavericks champion.