How Dereck Lively II Has Shown 'It Factor' Amid Mavs Starting Center Competition
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — As the Dallas Mavericks near the beginning of their preseason schedule, the starting center position is among various roles that remain one to monitor. There is a growing buzz about rookie Dereck Lively II, as the team will likely give him the chance to start in Abu Dhabi for at least one of the two preseason matchups against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"It's something I've dreamed about, but what I'm trying to do is try to win every day so I can earn that spot," Lively said regarding the starting center job. "It's not something I think I'm going to be guaranteed. It's something I have to earn."
While the starting center job is a goal of Lively's and one that he understands is far from guaranteed, he views even receiving consideration as further reason to continue to hone in on the details of the team's concepts and to make the most of every play.
"It just makes me know that I have to take my job as seriously as possible and to make sure that if they trust me to do this, I have to give them a reason to," Lively said. "I have to make sure that I'm holding my head high. I have to make sure that every time I step on the floor, I have to be a defensive force to back up everybody. So that's just a mentality, which will be a factor of stepping in each game."
Lively, who conveys a significant amount of maturity for a 19-year-old, is intent on remaining level-headed, even when the pressure to perform amid an open starting center competition plays out. He understands that progress isn't linear in player development. There will be highs and lows that must be worked through.
"There's always going to be pressure," Lively said. "You shouldn't let pressure just hold you down because if there weren't pressure, it wouldn't be that fun. It wouldn't make the lows that low. It wouldn't make the highs high. Knowing I will go in there, I won't do amazing. I know I won't be able to be the top guy, but I will learn every day. And I'm going to get better each game."
As Lively has established a lot of momentum for himself ahead of the regular season, he remains focused on being as coachable of a player as possible. He understands that at 19, he must learn more about the game's nuances to reach his potential. With the right habits, he's confident he can achieve his goal of winning at a high level.
"I just want to be the most coachable player on the floor," Lively said. "I want to learn. I want to get better. You know, I want to win games. I'm not going to go out there chasing a title. I'm glad they're chasing wins, and the wins will give me those titles."
Since participating in the NBA Summer League, Lively has spent significant time at the Mavs training facility in August and September. He's made the most of his resources, whether it's been watching film, getting reps on the court, or staying in the weight room to continue to add muscle.
"Just try to learn every day to try to win each day," Lively said. "Try to make sure, no matter if it's by watching the film, on the court, or in the weight room, to try to improve, however you can, just one percent every day."
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The past few months working at the Mavs' training facility have allowed Lively to completely focus on his development with the tremendous resources provided by an NBA organization. He's been able to hone in on his diet and work on adding the right weight to his frame, helping him to consistently weigh in at roughly 240 pounds before his rookie season.
"That's part of being a pro. It makes you worry about your time, what you eat, what you're doing, and how you carry yourself," Lively said. "I feel like I've spent a lot of time in the gym, making sure I'm gaining weight, and I'm pretty sure I'm right around 240 consistently now. Knowing that I'm putting weight on and holding weight makes me know that the work's working."
Among the various resources at Lively's disposal is the guidance of assistant coach Tyson Chandler, who many compared Lively to early on. Chandler often worked with Lively throughout the Summer League preparation process and while the team was in Las Vegas. His assistance in Lively's development has only continued in the past few months as the rookie prepares for his first NBA season.
"I feel like he's someone I've just already learned so much from after each play," Lively said of Chandler. "After each practice, one little clip, he's always there to have something to say, whether it's telling me what I should have done right, how I can correct myself, or if I did something right. He's always been able to tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear."
A few Mavs players have an interesting perspective on the comparisons between Lively and Chandler. Tim Hardaway Jr. played with Chandler as a rookie during their time with the New York Knicks. Hardaway is impressed with what he's seen from Lively, describing him as having an "it factor" that special players tend to display.
“He has that ‘it factor,’ man," Hardaway said of Lively. "I always look at him like, ‘Me coming into my rookie year, you’re doing the same things Tyson Chandler did when I was going to New York: Lob threat, rebound the ball, defensive threat, communicating, talking. He’s doing it, so credit him and his work ethic. He’s making it known that he’s here, and he’s here to win.”
Richaun Holmes played with Chandler when they were teammates on the Phoenix Suns in 2018. Holmes sees why the comparison continues to be made between the two, highlighting Lively's movement patterns as a key reason.
“Lively is, when I say bouncy, I don’t think that’s even the word to describe it,” Holmes said. “I was talking to Tyson about it because I played with Tyson back in Phoenix, and he looks so much like him, the way he moves and jumps. I’m looking forward to seeing him develop, playing against him more, and cheering him on as the season progresses.”
During his workouts, some of the particular points of emphasis for Lively have been to work on his touch, setting screens, and continuing to hone in on his defensive technique. With the Mavs having no shortage of shot creators and shooting talent, he understands the need for him to provide a presence doing the dirty work.
"My touch, being able to work on my touch game, no matter if it's a right hook, a left hook, a little floater coming out the middle," Lively said. "Working on setting screens, being able to get my teammates open, and just being able to try to be a defensive force down low to back up my teammates."
There is no better crash course for a rookie to adjust to the NBA game than to play against live competition. Against his Mavs teammates, Lively already feels a better grasp of the value of pace and being efficient with movement to cover ground and when making moves. The help of his veteran teammates has only benefited him.
"The speed of the NBA changes the game, but you have to slow yourself down," Lively said. "To be able to do things, find it easy. Sometimes, you don't have to take as many steps. You don't have to take as many moves to get to a certain spot. Just being able to try to pick the minds of the vets to try to figure out the game is definitely what I've been doing."
Among the various adjustments and understanding required for any player when playing for a new team is to gain familiarity with new teammates. Mavs rookies Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Lively have received many reps with penciled-in starters like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Grant Williams. Lively already sees him and Prosper as being ideal complements to focus on doing the dirty work.
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"I feel like me and O-Max fit in very well. We complement everybody's flashy game with our dirty work game," Lively said. "Me and O-Max handle things on the defensive end and try to make the things on the offense for our two, our one-two combo.
"Just being able to know that since I'm getting reps in with this, with this group and getting reps in like that, it makes me want to focus and learn that much more."
While gaining familiarity is important, a benefit for Lively of playing alongside Doncic and Irving throughout training camp is the added focus on teaching points that arise. Lively understands that knowing how his teammates approach the game sooner rather than later only helps maximize the impact of the unit as a whole.
"Just being able to know that I take whatever I learned from the Summer League aspect and just try to take it a step up to for preseason, being able to know that I'm trying to pick Dwight's brain, I'm picking Kai's brain," Lively said.
"I'm trying to figure out their tempos and what they like to do," Lively explained. "They like to go right this certain way; if they are going right and they do one-stop, that means they're snaking. That means you're going to come back around. You're just understanding each scheme, and everybody's characteristics of the game is something I've been trying to do."
With a half-court attack led by Doncic and Irving, there is a real contract in approach for how they attack a defense. While both players can break down any defender in space and masterfully operate out of ball screens, Irving has the speed to turn the corner against traps, while Doncic likes to use a slow pace. It can take some getting used to for a young player like Lively.
Lively and Doncic are already building a connection, particularly in pick-and-roll actions. The methodical pace that Doncic plays with requires the big to have the proper timing to maximize the advantages created by the superstar playmaker, forcing the pick-and-roll defenders and weak-side low-man to make commitments.
"I think we started to play a little bit of five-on-five. I've been on his team. It seems like what I do because I make his job easier. He makes my job easier," Lively said of Doncic. "I will try to get him open as best as possible. If he's going in the lane, if I'm two or three steps to the side, people will have to step to me for the lob threat. It's going to give Luka an open lane to follow on."
While Doncic plays with pace and puts the defense into disadvantaged situations as he operates out of pick-and-roll, the game tends to come easy for the roll man. However, one element that takes some getting used to is the understanding of always needing to be ready since Doncic likes to throw no-look passes that can deceive the defense, creating an unexpected need to make a catch for the big.
"I've already noticed it. There have been some passes I've caught, and I'm like, 'There's no way I should have gotten this pass," Lively said of Doncic. "There's no way it should.' The ball should be here, but knowing that I always have my mind ready, my eyes up, and my hands up makes me a better player."
Regarding building chemistry with Irving, Lively feels he's already getting the hang of things. Irving's leadership with inventive on-court communication has only helped Lively to accelerate the acclimation process that comes with initially getting ready to compete at the NBA level. Lively has already witnessed the results of the wisdom of his superstar teammates and has embraced being a beneficiary of the knowledge.
"I think my chemistry with Kyrie is much further than I thought it would be [at this point]," Lively said. "I feel like he will tell you exactly what he wants. He will tell you exactly how it will go, and it will go exactly how he said. It's funny. He will say, 'If they come this way on the screen, I will go exactly this way. That means you do this.' And it works.
"It's funny just to be able to see the veterans and be able to know that their mind in basketball is not thinking," Lively explained. "It's two steps ahead, thinking five steps ahead, so they're playing chess, not checkers."
Lively already knows how Irving will break down the defense with his crafty handle and quickness. With how much attention Irving commands when he attacks downhill after getting by the point-of-attack defender or when turning the corner after getting by a trap, Lively knows to get into the blindspot of the defense in the dunker spot to be in a position for a dropoff pass or to get a putback.
"Definitely learning his timing, knowing that he could get around a defender without a doubt, and then once that happens, he's behind his defender, the only thing that will stop him is if two people come over to help, not just one because he has an unbelievable ability to finish," Lively said. "I know exactly where I can play in my sweet spot, knowing I'm right there if he needs to bail out. And if he's putting a shot up, I have a putback if he misses."
In addition to being a reliable relief option for the Mavs' top players, Lively will be leaned on to set the tone defensively as the unit's anchor, even while he develops early in his career. As the focal point of the defense, his presence as a vocal serves an important part of scheme execution, but it also helps him personally.
"It helps me understand the game whenever I'm talking out loud, you know, it kind of just helps me understand like what are the options, what kind of makes everything easier, and whenever I speak, whenever I talk, it makes my teammates know I got their back and it makes their job easier.
"I know that whenever, no matter if I'm talking, saying ICE, saying hedge, saying switch, or saying RED, just being loud and making sure my teammates from the top to the bottom of the key can hear me," Lively explained. "I know it will be hard with the packed stadium, but you will probably hear my voice whenever you're on the sideline. You're going to hear me for sure."
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Lively has a few veteran frontcourt teammates to lean on who have spent plenty of years in the Mavs organization, like Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber. Both players have been impressed with Lively's combination of physical intangibles, mentality, and habits as he prepares for his rookie season. The veterans are confident that through the growing pains, the rookie will learn quickly.
"It's going to be a learning process," Powell said of Lively. "I think he has the right mentality to pick it up very quickly, probably quicker than most bigs, with his motor, athleticism, and ability to move his feet, but most of all, his mind. He's hungry to learn. He's spending time with coaches and vets, focusing on technique, which is the biggest thing. He's going to pick it up faster than people."
Kleber conveyed the importance for a young big man to master the value of positioning within specific coverages and trust teammates in judgment call situations. At times, the situation will require Lively to rely on his instincts. Kleber has been impressed by how he handles the mental aspect of his responsibilities while leveraging his impressive physical tools.
"I think it's very important to understand the positioning and what is expected in certain coverages because, obviously, you can't defend everything at all times," Kleber said of Lively. "You need help from other teammates and trust your teammates. You must understand your part in certain defensive schemes and then play those rules. There are exceptions every time or at times where you have to go by instincts, but I think he has great instincts and already good positioning and understands it, and obviously, he has the length and athleticism."
During the NBA Summer League process, a key focus for the Mavs was to have Lively play up to the level of the screen in ball screen coverage, which they refer to as "Channel 1." The goal is to take away the guard's space for a pull-up jumper while having the foot speed to keep the roller from getting behind and being able to account for the ball handler on the drive, too. If needed, the big can call for a Veer switch to take the guard on the drive, having the on-ball defender take the roller. In this regard, Lively has displayed intriguing potential in what serves as just one example of his ability to enhance the schemes the Mavs want to deploy.
"I think just his ability to comprehend the different defenses, when you look at the Channel 1s, and then also being able to be on the perimeter as a seven-foot guy and be able to guard the ball, it allows us to be able to switch a little bit more," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said of Lively. "I trust him to be able to guard the ball and not to give up 3s. He's done a really good job with that so far."
Holmes humbly admitted he struggled with fouling as a rookie when relating his development to Lively but expressed confidence that Lively is further along with positioning and using his hands to contest.
"I think for me, I can speak like when I was a rookie, the hardest thing for me was not fouling. I still struggle with that," Holmes said of Lively. "He does a much better job of keeping his hands up, things of that sort. He gets positions on time. He's very far ahead in that regard."
As Lively continues to work on mastering the art of staying vertical as a rim protector, he understands there will be times when he's called for fouls that probably shouldn't have been called. However, his mentality is focused on moving on to the next play and continuing to trust his approach.
"There's definitely going to be times where I'm going to wall straight up, and my hands are probably going to be straight up, and they're still going to call a foul," Lively said. "I know I need to have that peace, the same control, just knowing to keep going. I have to get to the next play, no matter if that's moving my feet down low to slide over to help or if I'm switching onto a guard and making sure I'm creating space to make sure he's not getting into my body and I'm keeping them in front of me. It comes with a lot of repetition, patience, and time."
The Mavs' first chance to see Lively compete against rival competition will be Oct. 5, in a matchup against a Minnesota Timberwolves squad with Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.
