Inevitable Mavericks decision will likely energize Wembanyama for season opener

There's an intriguing position battle happening up the road in Dallas, Texas, as the Mavericks solidify their rotations for the regular season. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are vying for the lead center position. While the Spurs must be ready for either, no matter who wins it, Victor Wembanyama can right the wrongs of last season's opener when San Antonio faced these same Mavs.

In Wembanyama's rookie debut, he had some awesome moments, but he also had some pretty ugly struggles. The French star scored zero points through the second and third quarters but tacked on four of his five turnovers in the latter period. To make matters worse, the Mavericks were debuting a rookie center of their own, and he looked great from start to finish.

Wembanyama should be winning matchups with other young centers

Don't get it twisted—Vic wasn't dominated. He even finished the game by displaying the reasons why he's been bragged about as such an elite prospect. He went 4/5 in the fourth quarter and drilled the only three-point attempt he took during that stretch. Lively only scored one bucket, going 1/2 in the fourth while pulling down four of his ten rebounds.

However, the game isn't just about how you finish, and Lively's 16 points and 10 rebounds were more impactful and came with more ease than Wemby's 15 points and five rebounds.

When you look deeper at the roles and expectations for both players, they couldn't be further apart. The reigning Rookie of the Year is meant to be a legendary player, while the young Maverick from Philadelphia was brought in as a role player.

Lively joined a team with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving running the show. The offensive talent those two possess makes things much easier for their teammates since they draw the vast majority of the defense's focus. That's fair, but that's an excuse that can only be used so much.

Stars are revered for a reason. They rise above the focus of the opposition's defensive game plans and produce at a high level with consistency. With Devin Vassell out to start the season, everyone must pick up the slack, but the franchise player must also play like a franchise player. That means not being outplayed by Dereck Lively II.

Based on the rumblings around the Maverick's camp, Lively should win the battle for starting center with Daniel Gafford. When that announcement is made, Wemby will know exactly who will be staring across from him when the ball tips off on opening night, providing a little more motivation to dominate when he sees his sophomore counterpart.