Controversial Mavericks move takes unfortunate turn as beloved big meets brutal fate

When the Dallas Mavericks signed Dwight Powell to a three-year, $12 million deal in the summer of 2023, it was a deal that seemed to make great sense at the time. Powell had just started in 64 games in the 2022-23 season, and could have ultimately earned more money elsewhere, but the deal took a turn in the wrong direction and ultimately became controversial among fans over the following two seasons.

Powell's production went way down, and this summer, one questionable part of the deal came to light as he opted into his player option. Some fans wondered why Dallas didn't put a team option at the end of the deal instead of the player option, and this decision could have ultimately led to Dallas losing Kai Jones this offseason.

Jones was a fan favorite for the Mavericks at the end of last season, as he performed phenomenally for Dallas after they signed him to a two-way deal, and many Mavs fans wanted him to return this offseason.

Mavs' past move may have prevented Kai Jones from staying in Dallas

He would have been an excellent third-string center behind Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, as his play style matches the way Dallas likes to play perfectly. His ability to run the floor, finish above the rim in the pick and roll, and affect the game with his athleticism was on display every game that he played in Dallas, and it's a shame that the Mavericks couldn't bring him back due to them not having any roster space.

With the Mavs not re-signing Jones, he is still a free agent, and it's a bit shocking that no team has signed him this late into the offseason. Jones is only 24 years old, and he clearly proved that he deserves a standard contract somewhere after the performance he put together for the Mavs.

In 12 games, Jones averaged 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting an incredible 83.6 percent from the field. Jones started things strong for Dallas, as he scored a combined 39 points over his first two games with the team, and he kept the positive momentum alive until the end of the season, as he was a staple in the rotation.

It seems extremely unlikely that Dallas re-signs Jones this summer, as they don't have any roster space, and it seems like if Powell wasn't on the roster they would have explored bringing him back in some capacity. Jones' youth combined with him being ready to contribute right now would have made him a strong fit for Nico Harrison's goal of trying to build a title contender right now, but also for the future, and time will tell if Jones ends up signing somewhere else.

It's a pretty brutal fate to see Jones go from dominating for the Mavericks last season to see him being unsigned this late into free agency, and Mavericks fans will be keeping a close eye on free agency news to see if a team picks him up.