Since drafting Dereck Lively II with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Dallas Mavericks fans have had their eyes set on a future where the former Duke prodigy is Dallas' starting center for years to come. While Lively II has proven that he can be a monster on both ends of the floor, injuries have begun to raise massive question marks around his future with the team, and it may sound harsh, but the Mavericks may have no option but to trade the third-year big man.
From the jump, it was clear that Lively II was a different force when he was on the floor.