Mavericks signing 7-foot-5 monster puts all the pressure on aging veteran

The longest part of the NBA offseason is undoubtedly the month of August, as free agency has almost entirely slowed down and training camp is still nearly two months away.

This August will go by quicker because of the Olympics going on, but the Dallas Mavericks have also made a couple of moves recently that fans are excited about.

While Dallas signing Spencer Dinwiddie was one of the more underrated moves of the offseason, the team made another move a couple of days ago that could end up meaning more than anyone realizes.

Mavericks signing Sharp puts pressure on Powell to improve

Dallas signed Jamarion Sharp to a contract last week, and while the 7-foot-5 center will likely end up not making the 15-man roster and spend the year in the G League playing for the Texas Legends, this move puts more pressure on one veteran to perform at a high level.

Dwight Powell was already speculated as someone at risk of getting traded if he doesn't improve this season, and the Sharp signing puts even more pressure on him to have a better year this year.

Last season, Powell began the season as a backup five, but fell down the depth chart as the season went on after the Mavs traded for Daniel Gafford. By the end of the year, Powell was the fourth-string center behind Dereck Lively II, Gafford, and Maxi Kleber, and considering he is making $4 million annually, that is an interesting situation for him.

Powell went from being the team's starting center the season before last to nearly being unplayable last season, and the Mavs signing Sharp puts him in a tough spot.

Sharp is an outstanding shot blocker and an intriguing young prospect, and his size alone gives him defensive anchor potential. He'll have to gain some strength to battle with the best bigs in the NBA, but his pure shot-blocking ability is intriguing.

In college, Sharp averaged 3.7 blocks per game, and he makes it hard for anyone who tries to attack the rim. Teams have to play differently when he is on the floor, and Sharp impacts the game heavily as a defender.

Offensively, Sharp is always an option for a dump-off pass which often leads to a slam, although he isn't the most gifted scorer just yet. He excels at creating second-chance opportunities for himself, and his offensive rebounding is vastly underrated.

As Sharp develops, he could end up adding some moves with his back to the basket, and he also showcased a decent mid-range jumper from the baseline during college.

Sharp was a member of Dallas' Summer League team and he could even end up snagging the Mavs' final two-way spot if he has a productive training camp. Him landing a two-way deal would put even more pressure on Powell to perform well, as Sharp would get limited chances to show his skill against NBA competition.

It seems the most likely for Sharp to spend most of next season playing for the Legends, and even then, he may end up on Powell's heels. Powell has two more years remaining on his deal, and with the Mavs seemingly always trying to get younger, Sharp could be someone who they want to eventually be on their 15-man roster to play behind Lively II and Gafford. Powell is already 33 years old, and his play seems to be declining some.

That would be a scary three-headed monster at center, and Sharp's development will be an under-the-radar storyline to keep an eye on next season.