Overview
- Multiple reports on Monday, July 27, say Powell is an unrestricted free agent who has kept in contact with the Mavericks but has not signed a new deal.
- Dallas currently carries 16 players on standard contracts even though NBA rules limit teams to 15 for the regular season, creating a clear need to trim the roster before camp.
- The Mavericks have added younger frontcourt options such as Keldon Johnson, Santi Aldama and re-signed Moussa Cisse, moves that reduce the odds Powell returns.
- Dallas has signaled a trade-first approach for veterans with remaining salary, notably Klay Thompson, making buyouts less likely and keeping veteran outcomes tied to trade market activity.
- Powell, a 12‑season Maverick who says he wants to keep playing, now faces the human reality of roster math where age, minutes and youth development may determine whether he stays in Dallas or looks elsewhere.