The Dallas Mavericks had a terrible 2022-23 season after making the Western Conference Finals in the 2022 playoffs.
The Mavericks finished with a 38-44 record in the last season and missed the playoffs as they were the 11th seed in the Western Conference.
In the 2023 NBA Draft, the Mavericks were awarded the 10th overall pick, which they traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for their 12th overall pick.
The Mavericks drafted Dereck Lively II with the pick, who is expected to become a key member of the team.
Speaking of the rookie, he recently shared his thoughts via his official Twitter handle on the feeling of seeing his NBA jersey with a fan for the first time.
“Man feels good to seeing a fan having my jersey, thank you makes me wanna work that much harder,” Lively II tweeted.
Man feels good to seeing a fan having my jersey, thank u makes me wanna work that much harder.🙏🏽 https://t.co/OFdgVTRX2F
— Dereck Lively II (@DereckLively) October 21, 2023
The 7’1″ center is expected to form a great partnership with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the upcoming season.
After all, the Mavericks have been aching for a true center over the last few seasons.
With Lively II’s arrival at the time, the Mavericks will finally have a chance to make a deep playoff run after missing the postseason last year.
What should be the realistic expectations be for the Mavericks heading into the 2023-24 season?
Can fans expect them to finally end their championship drought since 2011 or will they have another underwhelming season?
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