Dallas still has one roster spot too many heading into training camp. If no trade happens first, Caleb Martin's contract stands out as one path to creating flexibility.
The Mavericks have a roster decision looming before training camp. Dallas currently has 16 players on standard contracts, but NBA teams are limited to 15. Someone has to go before opening night.
A trade could solve the problem. Klay Thompson has surfaced in trade rumors throughout the offseason, and another move would change the math. If the roster stays intact, though, Dallas will have to make a cut.
One name stands out as a candidate: Caleb Martin.
Martin arrived at the 2025 trade deadline in the deal that sent Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers. The move has not produced the return Dallas expected. A hip injury delayed his Mavericks debut by more than a month, and he never found a consistent role.
Martin averaged 3.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 58 games while shooting 35.1% from 3-point range. He also missed the final 14 games of the season because of injury. Dallas expected a reliable 3-and-D wing. That version of Martin never appeared.
The challenge is his trade value. A 30-year-old wing coming off an injury-shortened season with an $8.96 million salary is not an easy player to move. Dallas would likely need to attach another asset, which defeats the purpose.
That leaves another option worth considering: the waive-and-stretch provision.
Martin is scheduled to earn a base salary of $8,963,901 during the 2026-27 season. Under the NBA's stretch provision, a team waives a player and spreads the remaining guaranteed salary over twice the number of years left on the contract, plus one. With one guaranteed season remaining, Dallas would spread Martin's salary across three seasons.
Instead of carrying the full cap hit this season, the Mavericks would absorb roughly $2.99 million annually through the 2028-29 season. Martin's cap hit for 2026-27 exceeds $10 million once his trade bonus is included. Stretching the contract would reduce this season's cap charge by more than $7 million while spreading the remaining money over three years.
That flexibility matters. Dallas is operating near the luxury tax with significant money already committed elsewhere on the roster. Creating additional room would open a standard roster spot for another player, whether that means promoting a young prospect, rewarding a Summer League standout or preserving flexibility for a move later in the season.
There is another side to the decision. Dead money stays on the books for three years, and stretching Martin means carrying a cap charge into future seasons. Dallas would also lose the opportunity to see whether a healthy Martin rediscovers the form that made him an important playoff contributor with the Miami Heat.
Training camp still gives Martin an opportunity to change the conversation. A strong camp and preseason would strengthen his case for a roster spot.
Right now, though, Dallas has one player too many. If the Mavericks reach training camp with the roster unchanged, Martin's contract stands out as one of the cleanest paths to solving the numbers problem.
