Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

[F Gump]

Holmes and Kleber can play backup along with Powell so using Lively as the starter ASAP is what we are forced into by taking this approach. 
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* Powell plays only if Lively sucks a lot and if that is happening late in the season we are screwed
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I have high hopes for him and Lively and our season is really riding on them to secure success moving forward.
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That move allows us to use Kleber and Holmes as a PF instead of a 5 and so we improve that position as well.
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I am assuming we can find another center in next years draft because if what I hear is true it is filled with top rated center prospects. Zach Edey is still there waiting to get taken in the 2nd round so    

I don't buy any of that on Lively or the center position.

Lively has some tools, some athletic gifts. But I think the odds are small for him to get playing time early in the season of any significance, because defense (which is his strength) is a team issue, and he has neither NBA experience nor Mavs experience to have a feel for how to contribute in that way.

The Mavs will figure out what player they think will give them the best play at C, and that will be their starter. Even if players like Powell, Holmes, and Kleber might not be what they would like, they will still almost certainly be better than Lively as we begin the season. Lively will get spot minutes to help him learn, but I expect it will be a process and take months or even more than a year. That's NBA normal.

As for drafting ANOTHER center next season, that seems way unlikely. If Lively is the answer at C once he gets some learning via minutes gradually, what would be the point of drafting another one to take minutes away from Lively? And just as important, the Mavs have no picks next summer.