Mavericks' Dwight Powell signing isn't the nightmare some fans are making it out to be

Dwight Powell will be on the Dallas Mavericks' training-camp roster for the preseason despite the 15-man roster being full, and this move has been followed by far too much criticism.

Dwight Powell is a true Maverick

Powell is the longest-tenured Maverick by a significant margin and has played the fifth-most games in franchise history, trailing only Dirk Nowitzki, Brad Davis, Derek Harper, and Rolando Blackman. All four players have their jersey numbers retired by the team. Yet some fans are ready to see his time in Dallas come to an end.

He has been on the team since 2014, and despite dysfunction and plenty of movement around him, he has unfairly become a punching bag for select frustrated fans over the last few years. This hasn't happened as much recently, as his role has shrunk significantly, but Powell still gets overcriticized compared to other players on the team.

His impact as a veteran leader gets overlooked, and some fans talk more about his occasional clumsy play rather than the positive impact he's had on the organization over the last 12 years. Powell's teammates and coaches always speak glowingly of the veteran big man, and his Mavericks legacy stretches far beyond the hardwood.

Some fans don't want Powell back

In response to a post from MFFL NATION announcing that Powell was with the team in Los Angeles for minicamp, here are a couple of fan replies: "Why? Can he just go away!" and "Dude he needs to go already."

While not every Mavericks fan is displeased with such a small move along the margins that likely won't result in him gaining a roster spot, there is a group within the fanbase that wants to see him gone. They're making it seem like the sky is falling.

Perhaps some fans think he is going to take a roster spot from a younger player. The fanbase would have a right to be angry if Powell poached a roster spot from someone like Moussa Cisse, but that seems extremely unlikely. Dallas is clearly building for the future around Cooper Flagg, and Powell doesn't fit that vision.

He is 35 years old heading into training camp and is behind Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Cisse, and Morez Johnson Jr. (if you consider him a center) in the rotation. The path to him earning a role on the Mavericks is extremely challenging, making a roster spot an even bigger long shot.

This move doesn't deserve the uproar

The Mavericks made the right decision to invite Powell to training camp, as he is one of the best leaders the franchise has ever had, and the fans who are upset about the report that he will be on the training-camp roster can sit this one out. Dallas has made far too many good moves this summer to allow a training-camp signing to kill the vibes, and this move will be forgotten by the time the season begins (assuming Powell doesn't make the roster).

Powell returning to the Mavericks for the few weeks leading up to the season is not the nightmare that some fans are making it out to be, and the leadership that he will provide for the young players far outweighs Dallas not signing someone else.

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