Mavericks are quietly wasting fan-favorite rookie's potential at the worst time

The Dallas Mavericks are burning through Moussa Cisse's two-way contract. As it's an NBA rule, players on two-way contracts are only allowed to suit up for 50 regular-season games, and this can include riding the bench through the entirety of the game, which is something Cisse knows all too well.

Not only do the Mavericks need to slow down Cisse's appearances with the team, as they have already used 32 of his 50 games, but over the past few weeks, Jason Kidd hasn't been shy about not playing the seven-footer despite him suiting up. This, in result, not only eats through Cisse's two-way availability, but for a team that could trade one of two centers at the trade deadline in Daniel Gafford and Anthony Davis, it's a very real possibility they might need a player of Cisse's magnitude by the end of the season.

There is no doubt that Cisse has had an impressive rookie campaign despite only averaging three points per game, but with him quietly becoming a fan-favorite and being extremely impactful in his minutes, the Mavericks need to control how many games he suits up for. Before fans realize it, Cisse may be stuck to dressing in street clothes before the regular season even heats up in late February and early March.

Mavericks need to change their game plan with Moussa Cisse

Coming into the league, Cisse was already being looked at as one of the league's best rookie shot blockers despite going undrafted and only initially signing with Dallas on a training camp contract. This not only allowed the team to see what Cisse could do on the floor in a Summer League setting before signing him to the team's final two-way roster spot, but it also forced Cisse to show the coaches he had what it took to earn legit minutes in the NBA.

While it's still early, Cisse has looked like a stud when he is on the floor. His offensive product may be the biggest hole in his game, but assuming he can work on his screening and rolling to the basket, he could quickly become a favorable target for someone like Ryan Nembhard or Kyrie Irving.

Whether it's blocking shots or hustling to beat the fast break, Cisse's defensive package is one that every NBA team would dream of having in an older rookie that went undrafted. His defense has literally affected games in a positive way for the Mavericks, and while they may not be resulting in wins, Cisse has proven he could have a bright future in the league.

Although the Mavericks should do everything in their power to retain Cisse's services and keep him in Dallas for as long as possible, it's still very important that they conservatively play him until the All-Star break. With only 18 games left of availability, the Mavericks could quickly be without one of their core rookies before the season truly even heats up.

Another reason the Mavericks should slow down on using Cisse's two-way availability is to see how he plays with a point guard of Irving's caliber. It's unclear when Irving might return to the hardwood, but allowing Cisse to play alongside someone of Irving's magnitude may be the best thing for his young career.