Mavs Trades: Three Acquisitions to Strengthen Dereck Lively’s Center Depth

The Dallas Mavericks appear to have found their starting center for both the present and the foreseeable future in 19-year-old big man Dereck Lively II. During the Mavs’ 4-0 start, Lively is averaging 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 78.9 percent from the field. In the Mavs’ clutch win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Lively had his best performance yet, putting up seven points, 13 rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block while being a team-best +15.

He wants to do the right thing. He wants to learn. He wants to help his team win,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s not running a play for him. It’s about doing the little things. He understands Luka [Doncic] and Kai [Kyrie Irving] and his teammates are going to find him on the roll. Again, his IQ is high.”

Despite the Mavs having found a difference-maker at the starting center spot, they could still use a similar type of player to play at the five with the bench unit. Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber and Richaun Holmes are all north of 30 years old with their best NBA days likely behind them. With that in mind, here are three trades the Mavs could make to enhance their center depth while still keeping Lively as the starter.

Trade #1 – Mavs receive: Clint Capela, Hawks receive: Tim Hardaway Jr.

The rumors involving the Mavs potentially making a trade with the Atlanta Hawks came up often over the summer, but Dallas was unwilling to part with Jaden Hardy or Josh Green to make it happen. That is likely still the case, but with Hardaway off to a hot start and looking like a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, perhaps the Mavs could get Capela without giving up their young guys after all. Capela is still a double-double machine, but he’s taken a step back from the player he used to be as he approaches that 30-years-old mark. Dallas could afford to still start Lively while letting Capela dominate off the bench and become yet another high-quality mentor for the promising rookie.