3 Different Starting Lineups The Mavericks Could Use For The 2024-25 NBA Season

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off the 2024 NBA Finals and have made major changes to their lineup to ensure they can emerge out of the West once again and hopefully bring another title to Dallas. Among the new additions this summer, Klay Thompson , Naji Marshall , and Quentin Grimes are all expected to be major contributors to the team, with those players likely to rotate through the starting lineup.

The Mavericks have a roster that's nearly 11 deep after the addition of Spencer Dinwiddie, so let's take a look at the different starting lineups the Mavericks could use at the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Starting Lineup No 1: Traditional Lineup

Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II

The traditional lineup the Mavericks are expected to run this season will see new addition Klay Thompson take the outgoing Derrick Jones Jr.'s spot in the starting lineup while Dereck Lively II gets upgraded to the starting center over Daniel Gafford, who started through the end of last season and the entirety of the 2024 Playoffs. Lively adds a stronger defensive foundation while Klay will help the Mavericks lineup not be solely dependent on either Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving for scoring or creation.

Klay averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists last season on 38.7% from three, arguably the worst season of his career. Even with that being the case, he's the best movement shooter the Mavericks could ask for and is capable of creating offense for himself, alleviating the incredible offensive load Doncic was carrying in the 2024 Playoffs. The Mavericks were also incredibly hot-and-cold shooting the ball from three, with Klay's additional gravity as a shooter improving looks for everyone else on the floor with him as well.

Doncic's passing ability guarantees open three-point shots, as the Mavericks made 1,1197 three-pointers last season. The Warriors were the only West team to have made more threes than them, and the Mavs have now added their second-best shooting weapon to their own lineup. This lineup will have defensive flaws but the team will hope PJ Washington and Lively can cover enough ground, while Kyrie replicates his above-average defense from last season and Doncic has greater effort on that end with the offensive assistance Klay brings.

Starting Lineup No. 2: Three-And-D Lineup

Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II

For all the positives that Klay adds to the Mavericks with his scoring ability, those positives might be needed on the Mavericks bench. The franchise struggled mightily to create offense in non-Luka minutes last season, with even solo Kyrie possessions not being able to replicate what Doncic brings. As a result, using Klay as a super-charged sixth man who can share the floor with different lineups can allow him to have a featured role and more freedom to operate beyond Doncic.

Naji Marshall was the defensive replacement for the outgoing Jones Jr. It seems tough to pencil him in as a starter right now, but the 6'9" three-and-D forward could be the focus of a defense-oriented lineup. Marshall doesn't need to be featured on offense, averaging 7.1 points last season. This lineup will accentuate Doncic and Irving's strength as individual offensive players, with Doncic in particular creating shots for not just Irving but also Marshall and Washington, with Lively on the court as a vertical spacer.

Marshall's spot in this lineup could be interchangeable with Quentin Grimes, as Grimes is a better POA defender but would cause the Mavs' to have a relatively short lineup in the scheme of the West. Marshall and Washington have shown they can be athletic and mobile perimeter defenders with Lively covering off the inside. Lively did hit a three in the Finals, but the shooting will likely come from Marshall (38.7% from three) and Washington (32.0% from three). Washington's shooting is still streaky, which is why the Mavs have plenty of options to accentuate the shooting on their team.

Starting Lineup No. 3: All-Out Shooting Lineup

Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Maxi Kleber

We could start seeing the Mavericks run out lineups which would bring back memories of the Rick Carlisle-Luka Doncic era that we saw from 2019 to 2021. The Mavericks made their name as contenders based on a fluid offensive style put in place by Carlisle, primarily due to the lack of solid defenders on the roster at the time. Jason Kidd has brought a defensive identity to the franchise, with his two successful seasons seeing the Mavs rank as a top-five defense after February to the Playoffs. But what the 2024 Playoffs showed them was that they need more shooting and scoring at times.

Maxi Kleber has been a dependable big man for the Mavericks since 2017, with his value being undeniable. Kleber is a floor-spacing big man with very strong defensive instincts, with the Mavs often relying on him as their sole big man to play a more aggressive and offensive style. We saw coach Kidd employ Kleber at center lineups through the first round of the Playoffs, with an injury to Kleber taking that optionality away from the team.

Kleber is comfortable being a 3-and-D big to create an all-out shooting lineup around Doncic which will stretch defenses to the limit. They'll open drives to the rim for crafty finishers like Luka or Kyrie, with collapsing defenses allowing them to dart the ball out to one of the open shooters on the lineup.

Which Lineup Should The Mavericks Use?

Honestly, the Mavericks have far too many solid options that they can use with a deep roster. We haven't been able to find a spot for either Quentin Grimes or Daniel Gafford as a starter because of the caliber of players ahead of them. The ideal lineup I'd use is the traditional lineup to start the season, but it can't be fixed as their default starting lineup. Klay Thompson's form will make or break that lineup, but the Mavs could easily play Naji Marshall or Quentin Grimes over Thompson if he can't produce at the level Dallas needs.

There are even more lineups they can experiment with, including a lineup they ran last season with Washington as the small forward, Kleber at the four, and Lively/Gafford at center. However, that lineup did have major flaws with weak perimeter defense, which is why we haven't included it as an option here. Keeping Washington in his role as a power forward is crucial, with Marshall having versatility across frontcourt formations.

Coach Kidd will take a while to figure out what exactly his preferred lineup will be, as we've seen him tinker with lineups regularly. He doesn't usually settle on a rotation until February, so the players on the Mavs have opportunities to fight for their spot on merit. Ultimately, any lineup with Doncic will make the Mavs comfortable about their chances, so his performances will decide how strong the Mavs are next season, regardless of the specific lineup combinations he's featured in.

Related: 3 Different Starting Lineups The Knicks Could Use For The 2024-25 NBA Season

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