DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks believe in Dereck Lively II's ceiling. In fact, Mavericks president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison believes Lively can become an All-Star at some point down the road.
“D-Live, he's improved right before our eyes,” Harrison said of Lively on Friday during his end of season press conference. “From the first part of the season all the way through to the playoffs he's continued to improve. I think the sky's the limit… We got a good one in him. All-Defensive player, All-Star type guy. Who knows when his timeline will happen, but he's well on his way to being a special player.”
Lively did not turn 20 years old until February of 2024. Yet, he positively impacted a team that ended up winning the Western Conference.
Lively finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting. He would have finished even higher in many other seasons, but stars such as Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren led the way in 2023-24.
Lively finished the regular season with averages of 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He shot 74.7 percent from the field as well.
Most of Lively's shot attempts came near the basket. He has worked to improve his long-range shooting, though. Lively made the first three-pointer of his NBA career in the NBA Finals against the Celtics.
Lively's teammates took notice of his effort this past season without question. It is clear that the Mavericks front office was also pleased with Lively's rookie season.
What are Dereck Lively II's next steps?
Lively's future is bright. So what are the next steps for him? Harrison expects Lively to continue to improve, but he also stressed the importance of rest following a long rookie season.
“One of the things Michael Finley pointed out to me in my first year, we always talk about the rookie wall. It's not really that rookies hit a wall. But they go from college straight to workouts for the NBA Combine,” Harrison said. “So they actually don't rest. So you take a rookie like him (Lively), went straight from college to workout for all these teams, to get drafted, play in Summer League.
“They go through their whole first year and they don't rest. And then you take him playing huge minutes all the way into the Finals. So the first thing for him is just rest.”
Lively displayed impressive energy for most of the season. He dealt with adversity but continued to battle on the floor.
“His maturation, the way he talks on the court, his resiliency, all the stuff he's gone through on and off the court and to still be able to play at a high level,” Harrison continued. “He's gonna get better. The defense, what he did in the playoffs was amazing. Being able to switch off some of the best guards in the league and really contain them. The way he can block shots, finish at the rim, you all seen him shoot a three-pointer… There's a lot of room for him to grow and he'll do it.”
Mavericks roster features quality core of players
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving lead the Mavs roster. Dereck Lively II is unquestionably an important part of the core as well, while PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford will play big roles moving forward.
Derrick Jones Jr. is set to hit free agency but Nico Harrison said re-signing Jones is a “priority.” Jones played well in 2023-24 and can impact the team's core as well.
Overall, the Mavs feature a young roster. Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Jaden Hardy project to take steps forward during the 2024-25 campaign. The future is bright in Dallas.
Perhaps Dereck Lively II will also take another step forward towards becoming an All-Star caliber player during the 2024-25 season.
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