Free Agent Center Dwight Powell pending signing with Mavericksleague sources tell Mark Stein of The Stein Line (via Twitter).
Stein’s suggests Powell will likely receive a non-guaranteed deal heading into training camp Exhibition 9 language to protect the Mavericks if he gets injured during camp/preseason.
As Stein notes, Powell was with the team this week in Los Angeles as part of a minicamp organized by the Kyrie Irving (Link to video on Twitter via Kevin Gray Jr. of DLLS Sports).
Stein reported in late July (Link to substack) that Powell and his front office have been in contact with the Mavericks throughout the offseason in hopes that the 35-year-old can return to Dallas. The Canadian veteran “hoped to play at least one more season,” Stein wrote at the time.
Powell, the 45th overall pick in the 2014 draft, spent most of the past 12 seasons with the Mavericks after being traded to Dallas as a rookie in December 2014. The 6’10” bigman averaged 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 63 games last season (14.3 minutes per game).
Although Powell’s contributions on the court have been modest in recent years, he is widely respected both within the organization and around the league for his professionalism, work ethic and leadership.
The Mavericks currently have 14 players under guaranteed standard contracts with the second-year center Moussa Cisse on a partially guaranteed deal that becomes fully guaranteed while he is still listed October 1. That would seem to make Powell a long shot to make the regular season roster, barring a trade.
Dallas will have 19 players under contract — including three on two-way deals — once Powell’s training camp invitation becomes official.
