MAVS NEWS:

[Smitty]

Also think people are severely overrating him even when he is healthy.  He is a good starting center but lets stop with the top 5 center in the league stuff.

Could not agree more. He's almost become a folktale of sorts, because we're not used to seeing him around. I said year 2, and in the small sample size year 3, that he (gasp) actually regressed from his rookie year. Now he's missed even more development time. Doesn't have Luka setting him up. Hasn't played with Coop, unless you count the whopping 84 minutes last year. A lot of factors, and I haven't even mentioned the actual injury and how that might affect his on-court play.

I try to stay positive about all things Mavs. These guys are incredible basketball players at the end of the day. And in Lively's case, an incredible human being. It's all relative though. He's a very limited offensive Big and a very good defensive one. 'Potential' is still what he is. How much does a front office pay for that? Do they agree that he hasn't actually improved since year 1, maybe even regressed some? 

The top 5 center stuff is not even in the equation for me?? He would have to develop an offensive game beyond any of our imaginations to join that discussion.