Tenured veteran Dwight Powell remains in talks with Dallas brass, seeking a 13th season as the Mavericks navigate a crowded roster and weigh his locker room leadership.
The Dallas Mavericks have 16 players on standard contracts ... the NBA only permits 15.
Dwight Powell is hoping that the organization that he's spent 12 seasons with can figure out a way to circumvent the personnel logjam to create an opening for him.
Powell and his camp have "maintained dialogue" with Dallas' brass about a potential return for year 13, per The Stein Line's Marc Stein. The 35-year-old is looking to play one more season and doesn't appear to have any interest in wearing a new jersey.
The Toronto native has been a fixture in the Mavericks' locker room for years — and it's easy to see why.
Looking back at past teammates, front office regimes and coaching staffs, Powell always received praise for his drive and professionalism.
Salah Mejri was Powell's teammate in Dallas from 2015-19, went on record saying that the latter was the "hardest worker in the NBA" who is "the first one to arrive and the last to leave."
Mavericks fans likely no longer put much weight into what Nico Harrison had to say due to obvious reasons ... but the former general manager also recognized Powell's importance to the organization.
“Dwight has been one of the anchors of our team over the past nine seasons,” Harrison said after re-signing Powell back in 2023. “His consistent effort, IQ and leadership ability – both on and off the court – will continue to be important to the success of our organization.”
The love for Powell actually extends back as far as a decade.
Before participating in the 2016 Rising Stars game at the NBA's All-Star Weekend in Powell's hometown of Toronto, current Indiana Pacers and then-Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle lauded the 6-foot-11 center-forward's work ethic.
"He’s a guy with great energy, and he goes extremely hard," Carlisle said. "He’s really loved by all his teammates."
So it's clear Powell's impact has transcended any individual organizational era. Regardless of who is in charge in Dallas, an emphasis on keeping Powell around has been evident.
Will that continue now with Masai Ujiri, Mike Schmitz and Dusty May calling the shots?
As a player ... likely not.
The Mavericks face difficult decisions on numerous pieces already. Finding an avenue to rostering Powell would only complicate that further.
Perhaps Ujiri and company take a page from Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, following the precedent Dallas set with Will Grier by finding Powell a place on Dusty May's staff.
