Dallas Mavericks: Will Willie Cauley-Stein be back next season?

Dallas Mavericks: Will Willie Cauley-Stein return next season?

The Dallas Mavericks needed reinforcements in the frontcourt after Dwight Powell suffered a season-ending Achilles rupture in January. They traded for Willie Cauley-Stein just days later. The seven-footer gave Dallas an excellent roll man and rim protector.

Things did no go as planned after the trade. Cauley-Stein struggled to get consistent playing time before missing seven games because of a personal matter. He was just finding his footing when play was halted because of the novel coronavirus.

Trill opted out of the restart for personal reasons which allowed the Mavs to sign Trey Burke. Fans have seen the 26-year-old big man putting in work this offseason. It brings about an important question.

Will Willie Cauley-Stein be back with the Dallas Mavericks next season?

Cauley-Stein signed a two-year deal with the Golden State Warriors in 2019. The second season was a player option, though. Trill would make $2.2 million if he accepts it. That is $400,000 over the league minimum for a player with his service time. Does Cauley-Stein take that or look for a long-term deal in free agency?

The seven-footer was starting and playing well for the Warriors before coming to Dallas. That certainly had some teams interested. The issue is the available money. Most teams are going to be short on cap space this offseason including nearly every contender. Does Cauley-Stein risk having to settle for a minimum deal by opting out?

Fans should expect him to accept his player option and be back with the Mavericks next season. I’d set the odds of his return at 85 percent as of this writing.

The frontcourt depth in Dallas could force him to move on. Cauley-Stein wants to play every night. That may not happen with the Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis will get minutes at the five. Dallas also has Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, and Boban Marjanovic all searching for playing time. Cauley-Stein gives them another skilled option. A few players will be unhappy with their minutes each night. Cauley-Stein could be one of them.

Stay tuned to see what Willie Cauley-Stein decides to do with his player option. The Dallas Mavericks want him back, but there are no guarantees until his decision is made.