Dereck Lively II on Mavs Fit with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving: 'I'm Gonna Do The Dirty Work'
When you have two star guards in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the best way to maximize their explosive offensive production is to build around them with as much defense, athleticism and shooting as possible. The Dallas Mavericks know this, and that’s the mindset that led them acquiring Dereck Lively II, OMax Prosper, Grant Williams, Seth Curry, Dante Exum and Richaun Holmes this summer.
Although the Mavs would love for Lively to develop into a star center at some point — he certainly has the physical tools and mental fortitude to do so — the truth of the matter is that they just need him to be a star in his role. Lively understands this and embraces it and he prepares for his rookie season.
"I think I fit in very well,” Lively said in an exclusive interview with the Mavs Step Back Podcast. “My focus is getting the ball-handlers and our scorers open. Doing that is gonna make my job easier, being able to offensive rebound, to score, and I'm also trying to set picks as best as I can to get ball-handlers open."
Setting screens is still a work in progress for Lively, but building chemistry with Doncic and Irving — two of the best players in the league at using screens to their advantage — and continuing to work with Mavs legend Tyson Chandler should help him develop that part of his game quicker than if he had been drafted to another team.
"I'm practicing to build chemistry with me and [Jaden] Hardy, and now it's just going to be having to start [that process] over with Kyrie and Luka,” Lively said.
“So just being able to go into each practice and just try to understand their tempo, understand what their moves are, how they move, what's their pace, being able to know when they're gonna snake, when they're not gonna snake. It's just a lot of being able to get reps under your belt to be able to build, to know what your teammates are gonna do before they do it."
Despite not having a lot of practice time leading up to the NBA Summer League due to the Mavs’ draft-night trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder not being finalized at the time, Lively showed off his high potential as Dallas finished with a 5-1 record. In 23.4 minutes per game, the 19-year-old averaged 8.4 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 68 percent from the field.
Now, it’s back to the lab for Lively, as he’ll continue to work hard in preparation for Mavs training camp in September, the same way he did leading up to the NBA Draft. Showing flashes in Summer League is one thing, but doing the same against higher-level NBA competition at camp would be even more impressive, and it would go a long way toward Lively’s chances of potentially starting this season if he does well. No matter what his role is, though, Lively is preparing to be the best teammate possible and do whatever he’s asked to do.
"I'm excited for it,” said Lively of his upcoming rookie season. “I think I'm going to be able to fit this mold on this team very well. I'm gonna do the dirty work on both ends of the floor, and I'm backing everybody up every step of the way. If that's somebody getting blown by, I'm covering their man, I'm telling somebody to get mine. If somebody doesn't know what play that's going on, I'm directing the play and making sure they know going on.
“Whoever falls, I'm making sure I'm picking them back up, making sure that they know I've got their back every step of the way."
As far as expectations for next season go, Lively is keeping simple — the Mavs just need to be better than they were last season, where they finished with a 38-44 record and missed the postseason.
"Just being able to set the expectations of having a better record and getting farther than we did last year. ... I'm just focused on making sure that we're able to gel well, and we're able to have chemistry, and just be able to be the most coachable player on the floor,” Lively said.
“There's a lot of things that, basketball, on the court and off the court, depends on us being teammates. So I know we're young, we have some new faces. I just want to be able to gel well and have good chemistry so we can play well together."
Lively and his Mavs’ Summer League teammates were able to establish great chemistry in the short time they spent together, and their play reflected that. The hope is that the same kind of chemistry can be replicated in the Mavs’ locker room come September.
After taking a season off from having “immaculate vibes,” as former Maverick Jalen Brunson used to say, the vibes around the team seem to be trending back in that direction, and Lively is a big reason for that due to his willingness and eagerness to be a star in his role and ‘do the dirty work.’
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