The year that Nico Harrison decided to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis less than a year after Doncic led the Mavs to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. This was a move that shocked the entire NBA world, and plainly, most people thought it was fake when it was first reported.
That’s how bad of a deal it was for Dallas.
Now, the Mavericks are having to press ahead as the Anthony Davis-Kyrie Irving era begins in Dallas. Things didn’t go as expected last season, as the Mavs missed the playoffs, but this summer will be Harrison’s chance to retool the roster around his new duo. The first move of Harrison’s summer should be re-signing Irving, but other moves around the edges, including trades, are what could help the Mavericks reach elite contender status once again.
With Dwight Powell having a $4 million player option this summer that he will almost certainly opt in to, the Mavs may have already missed the perfect chance to trade him. While Dallas could trade him after he likely opts in to his player option this summer, they have made countless deals over the years that would have made sense to include him in.
While Powell is an amazing leader and locker room presence in Dallas, his days of being a serviceable backup big man may be behind him, as he was nearly unplayable at certain points last season. The Mavericks could always count on him to give his all, but his below-average rebounding and lack of confidence as a scorer around the rim hold him back.
Last season would have been the perfect time to trade Powell, as it would have allowed the team to get him off their books while also having the chance to find a better center to take his place this offseason. Kai Jones would have been a great candidate for that, as he was incredible over his short stint as a Maverick last season, but now it may not be practical to sign him since they have Powell, Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford all under contract next season.
With Lively II’s injuries over his first two seasons in the NBA, Jones would have been a dream option to back up him and Gafford, as he proved he can fill in at any moment. He would have been one of the better third-string centers in the NBA, but now his future in Dallas is uncertain ahead of free agency.
With Powell being on an expiring $4 million contract (assuming he opts in to his player option) heading into next season, they can still move him at the deadline, but it would have made much more sense to have dealt him at some point over the past year or two. His trade value would have been much higher, and after his regression over the last year or two, the Mavs would likely have to attach a sweetener in the form of a young player or draft capital to get him off the roster.
Regardless of how big of an impact Powell has made in Dallas over the last 10 years, it’s extremely risky to spend a roster spot on someone who can’t be trusted to play real minutes, and players across the NBA who are solid role players are starting to sign for veteran minimum deals. To put things into context, Powell’s annual salary of $4 million is considerably more than a veteran minimum, and the Mavs are putting themselves into a bind by having him on the roster.
