Mavericks' ideal moves for all 5 free agents to jumpstart the Cooper Flagg era

The Dallas Mavericks have five players hitting free agency this summer, and with three upcoming picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, the team must be very selective about who they bring back. Moussa Cisse, Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, Brandon Williams, and Dwight Powell are all free agents, and with many of these players playing significant roles for Dallas last season, Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz have some tough decisions to make to properly jumpstart the Cooper Flagg era.

They won't have the roster space to re-sign all five players, and with three of these five players averaging at least 10 points per game for Dallas, they're going to be forced to depart with some talent — but there's an ideal path ahead.

Schmitz and Ujiri must properly gauge who fits the Mavs' long-term vision around Flagg and who they can afford to let walk. Getting these decisions exactly right will be crucial for Dallas to get back on track next season, and this offseason is one of the most pivotal in recent memory.

They have the chance to rework the roster around their 19-year-old cornerstone, and acing each of these moves will help the do that.

Moussa Cisse

The Mavericks should bring Moussa Cisse back on another two-way contract.

The Mavericks struck gold on their two-way guys last season. Ryan Nembhard earned a standard deal after starting the year on a two-way deal, John Poulakidas looks like a future bench piece for Dallas due to his knockdown 3-point shooting, and Moussa Cisse proved that he deserves another two-way contract from the Mavericks at the absolute least.

The 6-foot-11 big man averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Mavericks last season while shooting 57.4 percent from the field. Some fans believed that Cisse deserved a standard contract last season rather than Nembhard, and his ability to run the floor, protect the paint, and finish above the rim were all strong for Dallas.

He projects to be the perfect third center behind Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, and the Mavericks finding a way to bring Cisse back will become even more important if they decide to move on from Gafford.

Dwight Powell

Dallas should let Dwight Powell walk.

Powell's three-year, $12 million deal expires this summer, and it seems like the perfect time for Dallas to part with the soon-to-be 35-year-old.

He has earned the right to decide when he'd like to leave the Mavericks, given that he's played the fifth-most games in franchise history and has been on the team since December of 2014, but his best days are behind him. Powell was the fourth-best center on the team last season behind Lively II, Gafford, and Cisse, and while he always provides elite effort and leadership, his on-court value has diminished.

The Mavericks can always count on Powell to bring great vibes and be the hardest worker, but they don't have the roster space to bring him back. Every roster spot is crucial in today's NBA, and with Dallas poised to bring in multiple rookies, Powell's roster spot seems expendable.

Khris Middleton

The Mavericks should bring back Khris Middleton, but only if the price is right.

Dallas acquired Khris Middleton as part of the Anthony Davis trade, and he was excellent in the 29 games he played in for the Mavs. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game for Dallas while shooting 39.1 percent from beyond the arc.

His shooting and scoring off the dribble were huge at the end of the season, and he even started in 16 games.

The Mavericks have a case to bring him back, but only if the price is right. A veteran minimum contract would make sense for the 34-year-old wing, given that they need more shooting, but if he can sign a more lucrative contract elsewhere, don't expect him to return.

Dallas had interest in re-signing Middleton at the end of last season, but with new management in place, who knows how they feel about the 6-foot-7 forward from Texas A&M.

He provided good leadership for Flagg and company during his two and a half months on the squad, and Dallas should sign him to a one-year deal if they can create some additional roster spots through a trade.

Brandon Williams

The Mavericks should let Brandon Williams walk.

Brandon Williams just wrapped up the best season of his career in Dallas, but his fit on the Mavericks no longer makes sense. Therefore, Dallas should let him walk.

Kyrie Irving is set to return, Ryan Nembhard is under contract (unless Dallas declines his team option), and they could select a guard in the lottery. Taking all of those things into consideration, there won't be much of a role for Williams.

Additionally, he played himself into a nice contract in free agency.

He averaged a career-high 13.0 points per game last season, and he's no longer a minimum player. Williams deserves a raise in free agency, and it doesn't make much sense for Dallas to give him one.

They have many other needs to address in free agency, the trade market, and the draft, and adding another undersized guard into the mix would only complicate a backcourt that needs serious help.

Marvin Bagley III

Dallas should re-sign Marvin Bagley III.

Marvin Bagley III was easily the Mavericks' best pickup from the Anthony Davis trade, and with their need for 3-point shooting in the frontcourt, Dallas should look to re-sign him.

He averaged 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 22 games for the Mavs while shooting 48.5 percent from three. Bagley III is the only center on the roster who provides floor spacing, and Dallas needs more shooting around Flagg.

Retaining Bagley III won't be easy after he closed the season strong, and the Mavs may have to trade one of their other centers to pave a way to him having a significant role. He proved that he is much better than a third-string center, and since he's 27 years old, he still has some room to improve as well.

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