05-09-2026, 03:24 AM
(05-08-2026, 11:40 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Because he's not just long...he's long and can MOVE.
If choosing between the two (not a ton of options for both out there, even in the pros) give me the guy who can MOVE. But, the Mavs have someone who's both - Lively. And that's why you don't give up on him until you absolutely have no other choice. He's not Wembenyama, but he's a franchise altering role-player, possibly even qualifying as a star, imho.
I like the idea of Lively, the theory.
But the Mavs don't really have Lively. They just have some theoretical player. Sad to say, the Oden comp is a good one. In the last 2 seasons combined, out of about 8000 minutes for the center position, the Mavs have had "Lively" for 948 minutes.
Gafford hasn't been great either (about 2425 minutes over 2 seasons), but I have to wonder if some of Gafford's lack of minutes is connected to tanking.
In any case, a HIGH priority should be to get a reliable center or 2 who can give them 25 mpg night after night. Obviously AD was expected to eat up a lot of those C minutes, and he didn't. But they need someone (and probably 2 someone's) who can. If I am the Mavs, I would have to explore what the market is for Lively, and if they can get a mid-round 1st in 2026, I might pull the trigger, depending on what his health situation is promising me for this coming season. (Would I necessarily use that 1st to draft a center? Nope, not unless there is a definite top-tier prospect C available. I don't think there is a Lively clone waiting.)