The Dallas Mavericks think that Dereck Lively II can morph into a future Defensive Player of the Year, according to a recent report by ESPN's Tim MacMahon, and if Lively II can enter this conversation, Dallas' young core is going to be much better than anyone realizes. Lively II has become a fan favorite over his first two seasons in Dallas, and even though he has plenty of dominant moments, there is still an entirely new level he can reach in terms of being a defensive monster.
In a recent article that ranked the top 100 players in the NBA, where Lively II was ranked No.