Dereck Lively II Talks Fit with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving; Mavs Role: ‘I Love Dallas’

There has been a lot of smoke around Duke’s Dereck Lively II and the Dallas Mavericks’ No. 10 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, and you can understand why after hearing his comments about Dallas and his fit with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

NBA Draft day is finally here, and the Dallas Mavericks are poised to see their fair share of action whether they hold onto the No. 10 pick or end up moving it in a trade before the night is over. If they choose to keep it, then Duke big man Dereck Lively II figures to be a strong candidate for the Mavs to consider selecting.

On Wednesday, Lively spoke with Bally Sports at the NBA Draft's media availability and dished on how his visit and private workout went with the Mavs, as well as how he sees himself potentially fitting in with star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

"I love Dallas," Lively said. "I feel like whenever I worked out for Dallas, it was a great environment, it was a great overall community. They were welcoming, and I feel like they loved my energy. Loved what I brought to the table, loved my enthusiasm, loved my energy, loved my hard-working ability. I know I showed that."

It has almost become a cliché when people try to declare a potential Mavs center as being "Tyson Chandler 2.0," but with Lively, that really could be the case. The 7-foot-1 big man has a 7-foot-7 wingspan and a 9-foot-4 standing reach. He is a capable and willing to set screens, he can play defense inside or on the perimeter if needed, and he can do something that Chandler couldn't do – stretch the floor by shooting 3s.

"I could definitely be a great screen setter, rim protector, and doing whatever I can to get them open and they can make the reads that they want," Lively said when asked about he sees his fit with Doncic and Irving.

"Luka and Kyrie get the ball, I'm gonna set the screen. And if I'm gonna roll or gonna pop, I know the defenders are thinking about me and a lob and also thinking about Kyrie or Luka getting the ball to the basket ... It's going to open up, for me, so many options."

It has been so long since the Mavs have had a true, reliable starting center, and unless a prospect like UCF's Taylor Hendricks somehow falls to No. 10, or the Dallas front office receives a trade offer it just can't refuse, there's a good chance Lively could be that guy for the foreseeable future. One thing is for sure, the kid sure does know how to say all the right things.

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