The Dallas Mavericks waived center Dwight Powell on Monday, closing out a 12-year run that began in December 2014. Powell, 35, was let go after Dallas entered the day with a full allotment of 15 guaranteed contracts, meaning keeping him on the roster would have required cutting another player.
Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri confirmed the move, praising Powell’s standing in the organization. “Dwight was the consummate professional throughout his 12 seasons with the Mavericks and embodies everything you want in someone representing your organization,” Ujiri said. “He’s a tireless worker, an incredible teammate and someone whose impact extends well beyond the basketball court and into the Dallas community.”
The Terms: A Straightforward Roster Cut
There was no trade or contract swap involved. Dallas simply waived Powell outright to stay within its 15-man guaranteed limit. The move is official as of Monday’s announcement, with no compensation changing hands since the transaction was a straight release rather than a deal with another club.
Why It Happened And What It Means For The Mavericks
The decision ultimately came down to frontcourt competition between Powell and Moussa Cisse, a second-year center whose two-way contract was converted into a standard guaranteed deal late in his rookie season. Dallas matched an offer sheet for Cisse this offseason, signaling the front office’s intent to prioritize his development.
Powell was added to training camp after his previous contract expired, but new leadership under Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz opted to shift toward a younger frontcourt rotation under first-year head coach Dusty May. The move leaves Cisse as a clearer option behind Dallas’ primary bigs heading into the regular season.
Powell’s Background And Tenure In Dallas
Powell arrived in Dallas as the secondary piece in a December 2014 trade with the Boston Celtics that also brought Rajon Rondo to the Mavericks, a five-player, two-pick deal at the time. He went on to appear in 768 games with 266 starts, averaging 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 17.5 minutes per contest over his Mavericks career.
Those numbers place Powell fifth in franchise history in games played with 763, sixth in rebounds, fourth in career field-goal percentage and third in two-point field goal percentage. He was the longest-tenured player on the roster, having played through the Dirk Nowitzki, Luka Doncic and Cooper Flagg eras of Mavericks basketball. In his final season, Powell averaged 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 14.3 minutes across 63 appearances, including 12 starts.
What’s Next
Powell is now a free agent and can sign with any team. Dallas hosts Houston on Wednesday to open the regular season under May, with Cisse positioned for expanded frontcourt minutes.
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