Mavericks' Moussa Cisse-Dwight Powell battle shouldn't even happen

Training camp begins for the Dallas Mavericks later this week, and one of the biggest battles to keep an eye on will be between Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell. This potential battle for a roster spot wasn't expected before last week, but the Mavericks' plan to invite Powell to training camp will force Cisse to prove that he doesn't deserve to be waived to make room for Powell.

Cisse is the player most likely to get cut if Powell has a stellar preseason, as he is set to earn just $4.8 million over the next two seasons. Dallas could easily waive Cisse for Powell if they wanted to, but this shouldn't be an idea that crosses the front office's mind.

Why Dallas shouldn't even think about waiving Moussa Cisse

Powell is 35 years old, and Cisse is 24. The Mavericks have emphasized building for the future rather than the present, making Cisse the clear long-term fit over Powell. Dallas is building around a 19-year-old superstar in Cooper Flagg, and keeping Cisse, a player from Flagg's rookie class, on the roster should be a no-brainer.

Cisse was arguably more productive than Powell last season, and Dallas should bet on the potential Cisse displayed as a rookie rather than hoping Powell has a career resurgence in his 13th year. Powell's production has declined over the last few years, while Cisse is just scratching the surface.

The stats don't lie

When observing the stats from last season, it's easy to see why Cisse is the right choice over Powell. He put up more points, rebounds, and blocks per game despite receiving less playing time, and his impact went far beyond the stat sheet. While Powell has been known for his hustle and energy throughout his entire Mavericks tenure, which began in 2014, Cisse's performance in both of those areas was elite.

He always ran the floor as hard as he could, hustled for loose balls, and impacted the game with his athleticism on both ends as a lob catcher and rim protector. For context on how much better Cisse is as a rim protector than Powell, DP has never averaged more than 0.6 blocks per game in a season. This is exactly half of what Cisse averaged as a rookie, and his game is still raw.

Cisse has room to grow while Dwight Powell's production is declining

Now just imagine what Moose's game could look like in a few years. He may not have a massive role next season, as he'll be behind Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford again, but the future is bright for him.

He still has plenty of room to grow as a scorer in the paint, and his feel for the game needs some work as well. As he improves in these areas, he's poised to become even better in his role. Young players with potential to grow into high-end role players on cheap contracts are the name of the game in the NBA, and this fits Cisse's developmental path to a T.

Powell may have a slight edge over the second-year big man as a passer and shooter, but what Cisse showed is too strong to pass up. Even if Powell has an outstanding preseason and turns back the clock, Dallas shouldn't consider waiving Cisse to sign him to a standard deal. This would be an extremely aggressive bet, and Cisse doesn't have much more to prove.

The Mavericks shouldn't let this become a battle for the third or fourth center spot in Dusty May's rotation. The Mavericks need the youth, rim protection, and athleticism that Cisse brings, and Powell's best fit at this point in his career may be elsewhere.

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