Mavericks Training Camp Notes: Dončić Off-Ball Usage, Injury Updates, Thompson’s Role, and Position Battle Developments
As the Dallas Mavericks continue in the early days of training camp, one of the most intriguing developments is the potential shift in Luka Dončić’s usage in addition to his left calf injury, with head coach Jason Kidd hinting at more off-ball opportunities for the superstar. The adjustment can be enhanced by Klay Thompson’s shooting prowess and off-ball movement, reshaping the team’s offense.
In addition to the focus on integrating Thompson, battles for starting spots are heating up across multiple positions. The competition at center is particularly fierce, with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford both making strong cases for the role.
The Mavericks are taking a break on Thursday after two days of practices at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). However, there’s already much to reflect on, including injury updates and how the depth chart is evolving.
Battle for the Dallas Mavericks’ Starting Center Job
One of the most closely watched battles in training camp is the competition for the starting center position between Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. Both players have been given opportunities with the first unit and Jason Kidd is using these early sessions to evaluate the fit for both players. While the competition remains open, Lively’s early performances have drawn significant praise.
“Both of them are going to have opportunities to start at some point in the season, not just because of injury,” Kidd said on Media Day. “But we’ll see how one is playing. It’s open. But we’re going to probably start D-Live with the first group and see how that goes.”
Lively, entering his second year, has shown significant growth in his post-up ability, particularly with his footwork and ability to finish with both hands. Kidd was impressed with Lively’s poise in the post during the first two days of camp—an area Lively emphasized in his offseason workouts to grow his game.
“He was great. He’s another one ready to go. He was there with the first group, in the post, there were a lot of post-ups. He displayed something he’s maybe added here,” Kidd said on Day 1. “A lot of us were able to see that he finished with both his right and left [hands], and that’s something that hopefully can give us another weapon.”
After Day 2 of camp, Kidd continued to praise Lively’s impact, even mentioning that he’s been impressed by his perimeter shooting consistency. Kidd went as far as to say that Lively has done “everything at a high level” playing with the starting group.
“Yeah, I think he’s done great. His energy has been incredible. He’s ready to go and has really worked on his game—you can see it,” Kidd said. “His energy and spirit are great, and he’s shooting the three well. His post-up game is strong, and he’s just doing everything at a high level with that starting group.
Adding to the praise, Lively’s teammate Quentin Grimes also took note of his growth, saying, “We saw, probably yesterday, a couple of pin-ins, ducking into the post, a couple of right-handed hooks,” Grimes said. “You can tell he definitely worked on his game this summer for sure and he’s going to be a big help for us this season.”
Lively’s defensive presence is another key factor. His shot-blocking ability and knack for protecting the rim were on full display, and teammates like Naji Marshall have taken notice.
“Unbelievable. Big presence, obviously. He clogs up the paint, he’s a lob threat, and he plays on both sides of the ball,” Marshall said of Lively. “I’m really looking forward to it. If a defender blows by, he’s right there to help clean it up. I’m really looking forward to playing with him. It’s going to be rock and roll for sure.”
The progression Lively continues to achieve isn’t surprising considering how much he improved since arriving in Dallas last summer after being selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He’s grown his game significantly, particularly with his increased comfort with switching—offering more schematic versatility while already being a dynamic rim protector. With his already established talent as a decision-maker on the short roll and being one of the league’s best interior play finishers, he has a lot of value offensively as it is, but if improvement in the post and potentially expanding his shooting range to the perimeter—that’s a lot of options.
“You got to stack the days, rely on the times that you’re in the gym, rely on your work whenever times get tough,” Lively said. “The amount of hours you’ve put in the gym, that’s what you rely on. There might be times when it gets a little bumpy, but that’s life. We got to keep moving forward and we got to be able to get to that goal, and that’s the championship.”
However, the competition remains wide open. Gafford, who brings experience and toughness, has also been given time with the first unit, and Kidd plans to continue rotating the two big men.
“We’ll look at Gafford with that starting group tonight,” Kidd said Wednesday after the first of two practices, signaling that the battle for the starting job is far from over.
The competition on the depth chart extends beyond just Lively and Gafford, touching all parts of the roster, including the backcourt.
Dallas Mavericks Depth Chart Developments
While the competition at center naturally draws significant attention, the Mavericks’ depth in the backcourt presents its challenges. The team boasts one of the deepest guard rotations in the league, creating a balance of opportunities and difficult decisions for Jason Kidd.
When asked about the team’s depth, Kidd told Marc Stein of DLLS: “This team might be deeper than the 2011 championship team. We’ve got guys like Spencer [Dinwiddie] who could be the third-string point guard, and [Olivier Maxence-Prosper] coming off the bench. When you look at the second group, you have Maxi [Kleber], Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, Naji [Marshall], Grimes, Danté [Exum]—those are all names coming off the bench.”
Danté Exum, who was integral to the bench group last season, continues to be valued for his ability to push the pace and provide physical defense across multiple positions. His versatility allows him to defend guards and wings alike, which makes him a valuable asset for the second unit.
Exum’s ability to push the pace fits cleanly with Kyrie Irving’s preferred style of play. Since he can guard multiple positions with physicality, pickup guards full-court, and offer transition playmaking, it’s easy to see why he’s considered a strong backcourt partner in those lineups. Having a backcourt with size and defensive versatility also helps Dallas match up better against bigger guards and switch-heavy offenses. The Mavericks had a 120.4 offensive rating, a 109.4 defensive, and an 11.0 net rating in 411 minutes Exum and Irving shared the floor in the regular season. It was Dallas’ fourth-best among all combinations that logged at least 400 minutes.
However, there is plenty of competition for backcourt minutes. Spencer Dinwiddie remains a key piece, especially as a potential option if Dončić or Irving were to miss time. Dinwiddie’s ability to operate in isolation and run the pick-and-roll makes him a natural fit for a larger role in case of injury. But with Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall potentially seeing minutes on the wing, and Irving leading the second unit in many plug-and-play lineups, it could complicate the daily path to consistent playing time for Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy as it stands.
Should Kidd decide to utilize Kleber and Daniel Gafford together in the second unit, it would offer a combination of size and defensive versatility in the frontcourt. This pairing would likely push Marshall away from the four-spot, further complicating rotations for perimeter players. However, camp is still in its early stages, and lineups remain fluid as Kidd and his staff continue to experiment with combinations.
Dallas Mavericks Injury Updates
The Mavericks have dealt with a few injuries during training camp. Luka Dončić is sidelined with a left calf contusion, which he sustained during a workout earlier in the week. Kidd downplayed the severity of the injury, confirming that Dončić will be re-evaluated in one week.
“I think he got hit in the calf [and] reported it tight yesterday,” Kidd said. “They went and got an MRI, and saw that it was a strain.”
Dončić is expected to miss the Mavericks’ preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 7, but the team remains confident in his long-term availability.
“There’s no concern at this point about his availability,” Kidd added. “We’ll just see how he feels in a week.”
In addition to Dončić’s injury, Kleber and Kessler Edwards are both dealing with sprained ankles and have yet to fully participate in camp. Kidd shared that both players are still “a little ways away” from returning to practice.
With Dončić sidelined, it does impact the Mavericks’ short-term ability to focus on building chemistry and working on different elements of their offense.
Klay Thompson’s Role and Potential Offensive Changes
Klay Thompson’s arrival in Dallas has brought a fresh dynamic to the Mavericks’ offense, one that could significantly alter how Luka Dončić and the team operate. Known for his elite shooting and off-ball movement, Thompson’s presence will allow the Mavericks to explore new offensive sets, particularly by reducing Dončić’s workload as the primary ball-handler.
Jason Kidd discussed the potential shift in Dončić’s role during his interview with Marc Stein of DLLS, pointing to how the talent on the current roster could help create more opportunities for Dončić to operate off the ball.
“This offseason was short and sweet, so I didn’t give him much. I wanted him to relax. Last year, we talked about playing faster, but this year, I’m going to talk to him about hopefully letting someone else bring the ball up, getting him the ball in different spots on the floor where he can be successful without having to bring it up every time,” Kidd said. “I think that would make him stronger. We’ll see what he says. I know he loves the competition. He believes that he is the point guard, but sometimes the point guard can start the offense in different spots on the floor.”
Dončić spent more time off the ball last season after focusing on improving his catch-and-shoot jump shot, which proved to be helpful at times in the postseason. He thrived being stationed on the elbow in Horns sets in addition to being a threat playing out of the corner in sequences like Zoom actions mostly, along with the rare use of a wide pin-down or double-wide pin-down. There are more options to have Irving or Thompson be involved in the same action as Dončić to make split-second switching decisions a nightmare for the defense, further opening up driving lanes and quick shooting chances. Perhaps Dončić could be deployed more as a screener as well. He also sometimes received touches in early offense out of Wide action. Regardless, having more supporting talent makes this possible.
Thompson himself acknowledged that adjusting to the Mavericks’ system will take some time, but he’s embracing the learning process.
“Training camp and the preseason is so important for me to get adjusted to this system,” Thompson said. “There are definitely some new things for me to pick up, but I’m excited to fit in with Luka and the guys. I think it’s going to be really fun.”
Thompson’s ability to move without the ball and set screens will be an asset in Dallas’ offense. As one of the greatest off-ball threats in NBA history, Thompson’s shooting gravity—his ability to draw defensive attention—creates more space for other players to thrive.
“A lot of times, the guy who sets the screen isn’t open, but Klay’s gravity is big,” Kidd said during Day 1 of camp. “Being able to take two defenders with him is going to open things up for Luka, Maxi, and whoever’s setting screens for him. Even the smaller players can benefit from setting screens for him.”
Thompson’s off-ball work was on full display during training camp, where he frequently ran through pindown actions, either coming off screens to shoot or setting up teammates with his spacing. The Mavericks already leveraged these actions with Tim Hardaway Jr. and could do the same with Thompson, allowing Dončić to conserve energy on offense and open up opportunities for teammates, as his presence forces defenders to stay glued to him on the perimeter. This gives Dončić more freedom to move without the ball and capitalize on open opportunities.
“Luka is one of the best players in the world with the ball in his hands, so it’s a pleasure to be on the recipient end of that,” Thompson said. “He’s going to generate a ton of great looks for me.”
Thompson’s arrival has already impressed his teammates, particularly Quentin Grimes, who has been learning from the veteran in shooting drills and pindown actions. Grimes spoke highly of Thompson’s mentorship and how much he’s gaining from working alongside him.
“I’ve been talking his ear off the whole time,” Grimes said. “He’s been a really good mentor, giving me tips on how to get easier shots off pin-downs. It’s called the ‘Klay action’ for a reason. Learning from him is only going to elevate my game.”
Thompson’s ability to set screens has also been highlighted, with Grimes noting how much it helps open up looks for other players.
“When Klay sets a screen for me, it opens up an opportunity for me to slip to the basket or get an easy shot,” Grimes added. “He draws so much attention, and I get better looks because of that. I’ve learned so much from him about the importance of making yourself a threat even without the ball.”
As training camp continues, the Mavericks will be focused on integrating Thompson’s skill set into their offense, experimenting with different ways to maximize his impact while reducing Dončić’s workload. Thompson’s off-ball movement and ability to stretch the floor with his shooting should make Dallas’ offense even more potent heading into the season.
What’s Next?
As the Mavericks take their off day, the competition for the starting center role and backcourt minutes will continue to be closely watched. With a deep roster and multiple key battles in play, the coaching staff has options to evaluate.
Training camp has already shown plenty of promise, with newcomers like Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall making immediate impacts and the development of young players like Dereck Lively II providing reasons for optimism.
The Mavericks will return to two-a-day sessions on Friday as they continue preparing for the upcoming season. With a deep roster and many rotation possibilities, Jason Kidd and his staff have a wealth of options to explore in the coming days as they solidify roles and continue building chemistry.
