The Mavericks are heading into the final preseason stretch with one roster spot still unresolved, and Dwight Powell remains very much in the conversation.
Dallas has 16 players on standard contracts, which means the team has to trim the group to 15 before the regular season. That leaves the front office with two basic paths: make a consolidation trade or waive a player. For now, the question hanging over the roster is whether Powell, who once looked like a long shot to survive the cut, ends up staying put.
On Wednesday night, before Dallas played the New Orleans Pelicans at the American Airlines Center, Dusty May was asked how close Powell is to pushing his way onto the roster. He didn’t give a firm answer, but he made clear Powell has helped his case.
"Those questions I can’t answer," May said. "You just spoke of Masai (Ujiri) and Mike Schmitz.
Those are the decisions those guys make... Dwight has been very valuable so far to us.
I think it’s evident, when he’s on the floor, we function well. It’s been a joy to get to know him and be around him."
May later added that he will offer his opinion if asked, and if that opinion matters, Powell’s chances of remaining with the Mavericks look real.
That is a notable shift from where things stood before preseason play. Powell is 35, and the age gap between him and Cooper Flagg - 16 years - made the fit on a team centered around a teenager seem questionable from the start. And with Dallas already needing to remove someone from the standard roster, carrying Powell was never going to be an easy decision.
Moussa Cisse has emerged as the most discussed possible casualty if the Mavericks decide Powell deserves the spot. But that move would carry real risk.
Cisse showed plenty as a rookie, posting 11.5 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per 36 minutes. His rim protection, athleticism, and hustle stood out, and he showed signs that he could become a strong rim-running center if his offensive game continues to grow and his touch around the basket improves.
Still, Powell’s case has strengthened in a hurry. May has praised the way the offense flows with Powell on the floor and believes he makes the players around him better. What looked unlikely before camp is now legitimately on the table, and Dallas has a tough call to make over the next week.
With May’s support and the possibility still open, it would not be a shock if No. 7 is back for a 13th NBA season in Dallas.
In Other News...
Mavericks Make Another Early Camp Cut As Roster Decisions Begin
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Around the West, there has been plenty of similar movement as teams look for low-cost depth and longer looks before the season begins. The Pelicans re-signed Hunter Dickinson to a non-guaranteed training camp contract with Exhibit 10 language after waiving him from a two-way deal in August, while the Spurs added Kendall Brown and the Kings brought in David Muoka on training camp deals, a reminder that this part of the calendar is as much about opportunity as it is about permanence. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Just Got A Tougher Shooting Decision Than Fans Expected
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Poulakidas finished with 16 points and four three-pointers, the kind of shot-making that can keep a player in the conversation even when the rotation picture is still unsettled. Dallas is still weighing roster moves involving Poulakidas and other players as it tries to improve its three-point shooting, which makes his case both simple and complicated at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Could Face A Roster Squeeze Lakers Fans Should Watch
The Lakers search for another backup big man has nudged Dallas back into the rumor mill, with one proposed deal sending center Moussa Cisse to Los Angeles and bringing guard Jaden Hardy to the Mavericks. It is the kind of framework that makes sense on paper for both sides: the Lakers address a depth need behind their frontcourt, while Dallas would add a young scorer who could give the second unit a lift.
For the Mavericks, the more immediate wrinkle is the roster math. A move like this could help clear the way if they need to make space for Dwight Powell, which adds another layer to a decision already tied to fit and finances. Hardys ability to create points off the bench is the appealing part for Dallas, and it is the sort of detail that makes this one worth watching even before anything becomes real. [Read more 🡒]