Mavs’ Dereck Lively II on Playing With Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving: 'I've Got Their Back'

Dallas Mavericks rookie big man Dereck Lively II knows he must protect Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in order to flourish.

The Dallas Mavericks kicked off their NBA Summer League schedule on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 91-80. 

Sophomore guard Jaden Hardy led the way for the Mavs, finishing with 24 points, six rebounds, and two steals on 8-of-18 shooting from the floor. 

As for the No. 12 pick, Dereck Lively II, the big man posted four points, five rebounds, and one steal in just 16 minutes of action. 

Following the loss, Lively sat down with ESPN's Jorge Sedano for a brief interview to discuss his debut and what he hopes to bring to the Mavericks, including teaming up with superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. 

"We're excited," Lively said of playing alongside Doncic and Irving. "We each know what it's going to take to win a championship and be able to get wins."

In Doncic's five-year career, he's yet to have a big man that fits Lively's build and potential of both an elite rim-runner on the offensive end and an elite rim-protector on defense.

"On both ends of the floor, I've got their back every step of the way and I'm going to back them up," Lively said. "They already know I'm going to set screens and get them open and make sure I make the right play every step of the way."

Lively showed flashes of defensive excellence on Saturday, but the Duke big man is still considerably raw as a whole, which comes as no surprise given that he’s only 19 years old. As his minutes and role increase throughout Summer League, as Mavs SL head coach Jared Dudley promised, we should get a better gauge on what to expect from the rookie heading into the 2023-24 season.

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