NBA Rookie of the Year ladder: Big rise from Brandon Miller in Week 4

Dereck Lively II can coast on the unique merit of being the starting center for the 10-5 Dallas Mavericks. Exceedingly few teenaged centers can start for contenders, much less make a sustained positive impact to the extent that Lively has. It hasn't been pitch-perfect — he still struggles with youthful errors on defense and the occasional disappearing act on offense — but he is clearly the best big on Dallas' roster.

It's borderline front office malpractice that Luka Doncic didn't have a quality rim-runner before Lively. His catch radius completely changes the dynamic of Dallas' offense. Doncic is the master of shifting gears and generating advantages on drives, and he only becomes more difficult to contain when Lively is setting solid screens and making a beeline to the rim.

The defense has also been impressive. Lively is averaging 1.1 blocks in 24.1 minutes, using his 7-foot-7 wingspan to change the geometry of shot attempts in the paint. He tends to crash the boards effectively — 3.6 offensive, 4.6 defensive per game — and he's extremely efficient as a finisher, averaging 8.1 points on 69.6 percent shooting, with practically all his shots coming in the paint.

Lively's role is extremely streamlined, as Jason Kidd doesn't always trust his young center. If anything, Lively's role should expand as the season progresses, which could strengthen his case in the months to come. He doesn't score a bunch, but he contributes amply as a play-finisher who processes the game effectively and defends his tail off.