The Mavericks’ most overlooked roster fight might be the one that decides the future of two-way wing depth in Dallas.
Most of the attention has gone to the more obvious battles: Dereck Lively II versus Daniel Gafford inside, Max Christie versus Zaccharie Risacher on the wing, and Marcus Sasser versus Sergio De Larrea for the backup point guard job. But Jett Howard and John Poulakidas are set to square off for minutes too, and that competition could quietly become one of the most important on the board.
Both Howard and Poulakidas are on two-way contracts, and both bring the same calling card: shooting. That overlap matters, because Dallas already has a crowded wing group and still needs more point guard depth behind Kyrie Irving. If the roster needs balancing later, one of those two could be waived to open a spot.
That possibility is real enough that it would not be a surprise to see Dallas make a move during the season. It is also rare for all three Mavericks players who started a year on two-way deals to finish it in Dallas on the same contract, and with Tobi Lawal drafted in the second round earlier this summer, Howard and Poulakidas look like the most expendable of the group.
Even if both stay, there is still only so much room. Two-way players can be active for 50 games, so neither one can be in the rotation every night. At some point, Dusty May will have to lean into one of them more than the other, and the loser of that battle will likely be stuck at the end of the bench.
The simplest way to sort them out is production from deep. Howard has the more varied offensive profile.
His shooting is still the headliner, but he also has a solid in-between game, and the Mavericks should explore that. His mid-range jumper is smooth and he isn’t a bad finisher around the basket either.
Poulakidas, by contrast, has mostly been defined by his shot-making. He hit over 40 percent from three as a rookie, while Howard posted a career-high 37.2 percent from long range last season. That number stood out because Howard’s first two seasons were much rougher; he shot just 29.4 percent from three over that stretch.
If Howard keeps knocking down shots at last season’s rate, he could move ahead of Poulakidas in the pecking order. If his efficiency slips back, Poulakidas may become the clearer developmental bet for Dallas. The front office clearly sees something there, since it kept him around, and he is in position to become part of the team’s young core.
The Mavericks’ track record with two-way players earning standard deals gives both wings a reason to believe there’s a path here. But the fight between Howard and Poulakidas will likely decide more than minutes. It could determine who gets another contract and who winds up a free agent after the season.
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