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With the re-signing of veteran forward/center Dwight Powell to a one-year contract just before training camp, the Dallas Mavericks now have 16 players on their roster. Consequently, the team must trim its roster to the league maximum of 15 by the start of the regular season.
Many NBA teams will finalize their roster decisions within the next day or two, as any player not claimed off waivers by Monday would leave the team responsible for his dead cap hit. Given the strict luxury tax aprons, franchises are eager to exploit any financial flexibility they can find.
It was thought that the Mavericks assured Powell they would make a genuine effort to secure a roster spot for him, but the method for doing so remained uncertain. The most logical contractual move appears to involve second-year center Moussa Cisse.
Dallas matched the offer sheet Cisse signed with the New York Knicks this offseason, but his contract remains inexpensive enough to move on from. While parting with a young prospect for an end-of-bench veteran who may only have one more NBA season left isn't ideal, Cisse likely wouldn't see significant rotation minutes.
Even with Dereck Lively II recovering from foot surgery, the Mavericks have Daniel Gafford, ninth overall pick Morez Johnson Jr., Santi Aldama, and Dwight Powell to absorb center minutes. Among that group, Cisse might only leapfrog Powell, but the coaching staff appears to favor Powell.
76ers Eyeing Cisse as Center Depth
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Philadelphia 76ers are monitoring Moussa Cisse's situation in Dallas as they seek to add another center. The 76ers' interest stems from the season-ending Achilles tear suffered by Ariel Hukporti in a preseason game, which left them thin at center.
Fischer noted that Cisse's availability likely hinges on what Dallas decides to do with its final roster spot. Philadelphia already lacked depth at center before Hukporti's injury, and they have only Joel Embiid and Adem Bona as true centers on the roster. Embiid hopes to stay healthy, but his reliability is uncertain, and while Jabari Walker and Dean Wade could play small-ball center, the team still needs another big man for when Embiid is out.
If the Mavericks can acquire any draft capital from the 76ers for Cisse, they should consider it, though it's unclear whether Philadelphia would part with a second-round pick. The 76ers' need for center depth could make them willing to make a deal.