Mavericks scramble to fix brutal center crisis by signing 7-foot-2 shot blocker

The Dallas Mavericks' center rotation has been an absolute mess over the last month.

From Dereck Lively II fracturing his ankle to Daniel Gafford spraining his MCL to Anthony Davis being out indefinitely with an adductor strain to Dwight Powell missing a month with a hip strain, the Mavericks' center depth has been more injury-riddled than we have ever seen.

The only healthy big on the roster as of earlier today was two-way signee Kylor Kelley, and the team was forced to start Kessler Edward at the five recently. While Edwards held his own and showed promise in his increased role, the Mavericks finally filled their final roster spot with a 7-foot-2 big who the organization is familiar with.

Dallas Mavericks bring back Moses Brown

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks are planning to sign Moses Brown to a 10-day contract today. He is working out in Dallas this afternoon, and if everything goes according to plan, the Mavs will sign Brown to be one of their backup bigs.

Update: The Dallas Mavericks announced that they have officially signed Moses Brown to a 10-day contract on Thursday.

Brown most recently played for the Indiana Pacers earlier this season and averaged 3.2 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while shooting 65 percent from the field, and he gives the Mavericks a much-needed body down low who should be ready to join the rotation right away considering how depleted their frontcourt is.

Brown has been phenomenal in the G League this season as he is averaging 16.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 63.7 percent from the field, and his ability to block shots and rebounds remains two of his top skills. His size allows him to battle down low in the paint, and his 7-foot-5 wingspan allows him to block shots without fully recovering when he's beat or as a help-side defender.

On the other end of the floor, Brown's skill set is limited, but he is a decent finisher inside and can be a solid player in transition when fully engaged as he runs the floor hard. Brown isn't one to create his own shot and mostly thrives off of opportunities that are created for him, but he has definitely improved some as a finisher since his short stint with the Mavericks earlier in his career.

Brown spent time with the Mavericks back in the 2021-22 season, and now he has the chance to fight for a permanent roster spot and play a significant role for one of the most potential-packed teams in the Western Conference. Jason Kidd is already familiar with Brown, as he coached him in the 2021-22 season, and he'll immediately become someone Kidd can utilize in certain situations right away.

The Mavericks rolling with Edwards as their starting center was not sustainable, and while Powell could be returning soon, Brown is someone who can hold them over until he returns. With Brown signed, that means that they won't be able to sign another after April 10, and the best-case scenario is that one of the bigs such as Powell will be ready to return once Brown's 10-day deal is up.

Mavericks fans will definitely be impressed with Brown's incredible size, and it remains a positive that Nico Harrison is prioritizing bringing in 7-footers to fill out his center room. Dallas now has three 7-footers on the roster with Brown, Lively II, and Kelley, and time will tell how much of a role Kidd gives to Brown.