Daniel Gafford was the Mavericks‘ starting center down the stretch and in the playoffs last season, but second-year big man Dereck Lively has a chance to overtake him for that role this fall. As Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) writes, head coach Jason Kidd has suggested Gafford and Lively could compete for the job, but said on Monday, “We’ll probably start D-Live with the first group and see how that goes.”
Lively’s teammates are excited to see the strides he makes in year two after his All-Rookie season in 2023/24.
“Just seeing him this offseason, the workouts and pickup games that we’ve played, he’s in really great shape and he’s gonna continue where he left off,” forward/center Maxi Kleber said. “It’s a privilege to play with him.”
While it’s possible Gafford will end up coming off the bench in his first full season in Dallas, both centers figure to play key roles for the Mavericks in 2024/25, so the veteran isn’t worried about whether or not he retains his starting job.
“When it comes to the anticipation of me and D-Live, I just feel like we can be two good old cowboys out here. Doing our thing, just having fun, catching lobs,” Gafford said. “We just come in every day and make each other better. … I get that somebody will have to start at the end of the day, but I don’t think we’re gonna make a big deal out of it.”
Here’s more on the Mavericks:
- Star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving expressed excitement on Monday about the arrival of veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Doncic said the spacing that Thompson will help create is “going to be perfect for us,” while Irving added, “I feel like our dreams (of a championship) can be possible because he’s here now.” Informed of his new teammates’ comments, the former Warrior was “visibly appreciative,” Vardon writes. “It means a lot,” Thompson said. “It gives me confidence to keep working hard and be myself. … It really means a lot that they believe those things, because I do too and I am excited to get to work.”
- Markieff Morris told reporters on Monday that he was trying to get twin brother Marcus Morris on the Mavericks’ roster this offseason, but it didn’t pan out, tweets Townsend. Marcus is once again a free agent and is looking for a new NBA home after being cut by New York, but if Dallas retains Markieff along with its 14 players on guaranteed contracts, there wouldn’t be room on the regular season roster for anyone else.
- After choosing the Lakers over the Mavericks on the buyout market last season, Spencer Dinwiddie is happy to be back in Dallas this fall, writes Sasha Richie of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Dinwiddie played some of the best basketball of his career during a previous stint in Dallas from 2022-23, averaging 17.1 points per game with a .404 3PT%. “Probably the most consistent basketball I’ve played has been in a Mavs jersey. The farthest I’ve gone in the playoffs — the Western Conference Finals — was in a Mavs jersey,” Dinwiddie said. “These guys are my friends. I’m still familiar with over half the team.”
In my opinion it makes 100% sense to start Lively. He’s younger and has the potential to be better than Gafford whereas Daniel could be better now. But if you give Lively the minutes he can develop with the starters and become great. Plus with all the offense on the floor starting it be best to have Gafford on the second unit to provide some scoring.
Regardless of who starts, they’re going to split the minutes roughly 50/50 just like they did last season.
One of the biggest Klay fans out there, But the Mavs are deluding themselves if they think he’s the missing piece that puts them over the top. Was everyone else watching his 2 steps behind on defense, and woeful shooting in the games that mattered most the past 2 seasons? The injuries and father time are suggesting otherwise. Would be delighted to be wrong.
Well put. As a warrior fan I’d love to see him succeed but we remember that he IS Klay Thompson. And he was always going to “be himself.”
Even if it’s Kevin Durant joining the team he was still going to “”be himself” and get his 15 to 20 shots. No adjustment, “just going to be myself” and we’re hearing the same thing here in Dallas. I hope it works out and Klay returns to form but being himself is not so cool when he misses 13 of 15.
This all may sound like a little dig at Klay and maybe it is, but in the same post I have to state that the Warriors don’t have the success they have without Klay Thompson, and Curry is not the player he is without Klay Thompson. Those are facts.
Without a doubt. Special concoction that may never again be duplicated.
In their prime Klay could cover Steph’s lack of size, and Steph or Klay’s ability to get instantly hot was always a threat. But now they’ve both lost a step or two and lost the fast twitch muscle fibers of their youth, combined defensive frontcourt they are a liability now, unable to stop penetration and it’s harder for them to get open shots.
TL;DR They have to work harder than before with declining skills.
Thompson has not been the same player before injuries. Flashes of his old self but also times he was terrible. Luckily for Mavs he is the third option player.
He may not put them over the top but they should be a better team than the one that went to the finals last season. Only one teams wins it all every season. All Klay has to do to make the Mavs better is knockdown 38 percent or more of his threes and keep the ball moving.
Toad, you are, literally, the only Warriors fan that I’ve seen say that believes that… not just amongst the 5 of us in this thread, but also of the 7-10 other regular Warriors posters on HoopsRumors who say that Klay showed last year that he’s done.
The problem is that Luka and Kyrie were already the worst defensive backcourt in the NBA. They solved the problem last season by bringing in Gafford, DJJ and PJ. Klay makes their starting lineup by far the worst defensively in the league. Klay cannot shoot the ball well enough to solve that problem.
I hope you’re right because I love Klay. But everything I saw last year tells me that Klay is no longer an NBA starter, and the Mavs will know that by XMas.
this. didn’t the warriors decide to give Podz his starting position?that tells us all we need to know.
Klay’s not actually “done.” He had a good year and the man can still shoot the rock. But he will have his games when he’s off but he’ll keep firing away. That’s what will hurt you in a playoff game.
He will not stop being himself and that’s in his mind a 26-year-old, game 6 Klay who will knock it down from anywhere and everywhere.
MAVS have a better team this year …. but the loss of DJJ could be felt all season long.
DJJ was easily their best perimeter defender, runs, free-roams on offense, can hit the open three.
I completely agree with the posts here, Klay losing that lateral quickness on the defensive end is definitely something.
If he’s not hitting shots, he’s completely useless out there.
Yes I agree with you but what do you think about the new guy they got to replace him from the pelicans? Naji Marshall. I actually think he will be very good and they won’t miss DJJ as much.
Gary , as far as Marshall vs Jones, interesting question. My take:
– Both are “+” defenders.
– Both had career-best years shooting last season
– Both have been around the NBA long enough to be considered poor outside shooters.
– Prediction: both will be irrelevant this year.
One year ago, most people thought Jones was done. The Bulls let him go from his minimum deal, and he signed with Dallas for the minimum. He played well enough to get paid by the Clippers, but they have already said he’s not starting, will play behind Norman Powell and Mann.
Marshall has never approached the success Jones had last season. If he gets any starts for the Mavs, that’s a bad sign. He was the 5th wing in New Orleans, has always made the minimum, and the Pels had no further interest.
Without looking the numbers up or the stats, I think the Mavs did the right thing and let DJJ walk because with him you know what you have. Isn’t he about 30 years old or so? With Marshall he’s a lot younger and perhaps the Mavs can work some magic and unlock him and be as effective as Jones was? And do it for a lot cheaper? That’s my angle from the Dallas perspective.
Gary , that all makes sense… except Marshall (26) is less than 1 yr younger than Jones (27)… lol
The DJJ hype train has gone crazy. He was a good on-ball defender and a great athlete, but before last season he looked to be on his way out of the league.
Mike.Honcho , Jones had a career-best 34% from 3 last season, his 7th…but he’s a career 31%.
He’d been awful, the definition of a “minimum player”, for the last 4 years in Portland and Chicago. Dallas didn’t want to give him a 3 year deal at $9M/yr for a reason.
Shooting % has a way of falling back to the mean.
Gary,
Mavs have an exciting young player, Olivier Maxence-Prosper, a first pick last year, that will be in the Mavs rotation, and may be the starting SF sooner than expected.
Have you seen this kid? CLAMPS! He’s huge — 6’8”, 230 lb — but he can guard every position.
I have not seen this guy but thank you for the alert. We will keep an eye out for him. I like your analysis on players so I will pay attention to his game.
Gary , if I said “done”, I meant Klay is no longer a starting-caliber player on a competitive team. He said as much himself last year on a few occasions, after he started coming off the bench. But I believe he can be a solid 20 mpg rotation player for 3 more years, a la Ray Allen.
Gary – now I now you’re a developmental and college hoops guy (like me), I’ll keep ‘em coming.