Moussa Cisse just made it even harder for the Mavericks to cut him

Many Dallas Mavericks fans and analysts thought Dwight Powell had positioned himself to make Dallas' 15-man roster by virtue of Dallas cutting Moussa Cisse before the start of the regular season, as Powell has drawn high praise from head coach Dusty May and played solidly in Dallas' first two preseason games in Macau, China. However, Moussa Cisse repositioned himself in front of Powell in Dallas' third preseason game versus the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

Powell registered a DNP-CD on Wednesday, while Cisse started and put together a very productive line in only 16 minutes. He had eight points on 3-for-6 shooting to go along with six rebounds and three blocks, as his timing as a rim protector continues to be one of the 24-year-old's most gleaming attributes.

Cisse and Powell bring far different things to the table

There are pros and cons to keeping either Cisse or Powell, but Cisse is proving his potential should override what Powell brings at this stage in his career. Powell is a very high-IQ player who is going to be in all the right spots when on the floor, while making minimal mistakes offensively.

Powell is also a great veteran leader, which is invaluable for a younger Mavericks team, but Cisse proved on Wednesday night that Dallas didn't match his offer sheet from the New York Knicks this past summer for no reason. Even if he has much to improve on in terms of his finishing and being in the right place as a rim-roller, he's freakishly athletic for a big man and is a high-level rim protector and rebounder.

Cisse's potential should override Powell's longevity and leadership

Dallas has plenty of bigs that are savvy offensively, but Cisse might be the best rim protector on the roster outside of a healthy Dereck Lively II. His explosiveness, length, and strength are all at elite levels for a younger center, and he could become a monster one day if he can fine-tune his offensive game.

As beloved as Powell is in the organization and city of Dallas, the Mavericks would regret cutting Cisse to keep him on the roster for one more season. If Dallas cuts Cisse, there's a good chance he goes elsewhere and blossoms, which would be a tough pill to swallow considering Dallas found him as a diamond in the rough as an undrafted free agent coming out of the University of Memphis.

It wouldn't cost Dallas much financially to part ways with Cisse and bring back Powell, but it should be noted that Dallas already elected to guarantee Cisse's $2.2 million salary for this season. Of course, nothing is final until the start of the regular season, and the Mavericks will probably wait until the end in terms of deciding who is more important for this roster between Cisse and Powell, but Cisse is reminding fans and analysts why it should be him.

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