There were plenty of big-time offseason changes in Dallas for a Mavericks team coming off of a Finals appearance, many of which flew under the national radar – then there was of course the signing of Golden State Warriors legend Klay Thompson, which made national headlines (though not all reactions were positive).

These additions, as well as the loss of starting wing Derrick Jones Jr. to the Los Angeles Clippers, means there are definite changes on the way to the starting lineup for Dallas this coming season, though these details have not been made official yet by the coaching staff or media.

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It’s easy to identify a few starters when looking at the roster. The obvious ones are Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who will once again be arguably the NBA’s best backcourt, and mostly inarguably the best one-on-one guard duo in the league. They will hold down the point and shooting guard spots as they did last year, with backups Spencer Dinwiddie and Dante Exum there to hold down the second unit.

The wing spot gets a bit trickier, as there is a seemingly obvious answer, but a dark-horse candidate as well. The aforementioned Klay Thompson will likely start at the small forward spot, but additional signee Naji Marshall may play high-level rotational minutes as well given his ability to defend. Quentin Grimes will also have something to say here, though he may be better suited to play shooting guard than wing.

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Both are more adept defenders at this point in their careers than Thompson is, but Thompson’s ability to shoot as well as screen for Doncic and Irving makes him a pretty solid bet to hold down the first-string role. Trade deadline acquisition P.J. Washington will almost certainly start at the power forward position, as his pick-and-pop perimeter skill makes him an NBA-caliber player at the four.

The big question will be who gets the start at the center spot – Daniel Gafford, the fifth-year pro who led the league in field-goal percentage last season, or 2023 NBA first-rounder Dereck Lively II, whose burgeoning switchability makes him a truly special prospect.

Either player would be a win, and both will probably play starter-level minutes. The problem is that the two can’t share the floor at the same time due to a lack of perimeter skills on both counts. They are both true centers and will have to operate separately, which is why there is a controversy about which will play the starting role. Early indications point towards Lively getting the initial nod though.

Overall, the Mavericks are in a fortunate position with multiple players who could be starters on other NBA teams. It’s a good problem to have, and hopefully, the embarrassment of riches leads to continued success.

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