Mavericks face a heartbreaking decision with fan-favorite big man

The Mavericks have reached the end of the road with Dwight Powell.

Noah Weber

Dallas Mavericks, Dwight Powell / Katelyn Mulcahy/GettyImages

Dwight Powell will become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and the Dallas Mavericks have a heartbreaking decision to make with him and his future.

He has been with the team since 2014 and played in 725 games as a Maverick, but Dallas may be forced to get rid of him this summer. Powell is 34 years old, and he isn't providing the same on-court impact that he once did.

The Mavericks are also entering a new era and building entirely around Cooper Flagg, and Powell does not match that timeline. Dallas needs to focus on finding young building blocks to add around Flagg, and while Powell is one of the more beloved Mavericks from this recent era, his ship has sailed.

Why the Mavericks may finally move on from Dwight Powell

In his prime, Powell was an excellent role player. His hustle and ability in the pick and roll made him a staple in the Mavericks' rotation, and he started in every game during the 2022 NBA Playoffs in Dallas' run to the Western Conference Finals. He has received plenty of criticism over the years from Mavs fans, but his impact in his prime was undeniable.

Now, Powell is a completely different player, and his age is catching up to him. He still plays as hard as anyone, but his minutes are not as productive as they once were.

This season for Dallas, Powell is averaging 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while playing 12.2 minutes per contest. He is typically only in the rotation when other bigs have suffered injuries, and it makes the most sense to move on after the season ends.

Despite Powell's unmatched locker room presence and incredible leadership, it's hard to justify giving him a roster spot at this point. It's hard to roster a player just for vibes in today's NBA, and every roster spot is valuable.

The Flagg era has officially begun, and rather than re-signing Powell, they could explore signing someone like Moussa Cisse. He has been excellent on a two-way contract for the Mavericks this season and has clearly proved that they should bring him back.

Like Powell, Cisse is known for playing as hard as he can and bringing energy, but he also has shown flashes of being an elite rim protector. Something that has never been one of Powell's strengths.

He is one of three rookies in the NBA who are averaging over a block per game, along with Ryan Kalkbrenner and Derik Queen, and Dallas should do whatever they can to sign him to another contract.

Powell is set to receive extended playing time down the final stretch of the season due to Anthony Davis' injury, but this could end up being the last of him that we see in a Mavericks jersey. He has had a tremendous 12-year career to this point, and no matter how hard it may be, going their separate ways seems to be the right move on Dallas' end.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.