Mavericks waive Dwight Powell after 12 seasons to reach 15 before the roster deadline
WhyNBA Sports Desk · Oct 19, 2026
The story
The Dallas Mavericks waived center Dwight Powell on Monday, October 19, ending a 12-season run that made him the longest-serving member of the organization and bringing Dallas to 15 standard contracts hours before the league's opening-night roster deadline.
The story
Reports was first with the news, and the team confirmed it shortly after with a release and a video tribute. The move closes a chapter that began when Dallas acquired Powell in a 2014 trade.
The story
He leaves fifth on the franchise's all-time games list with 763, fourth in career field goal percentage at .606, sixth in both offensive boards (1,187) and overall boards (3,251), and inside the top 10 with 330 blocked shots.
The story
Masai Ujiri, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations, called Powell "the consummate professional" in the team's statement and said the city remains home for him.
Why it was Powell
The decision came down to dollars as much as minutes. Powell returned to Dallas just before training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract with $1 million guaranteed, a figure that would have climbed to $1.5 million had he stayed on the roster for opening night.
Why it was Powell
Releasing him now keeps that bump off the books.
Why it was Powell
After cutting guards Seth Lundy and John Poulakidas earlier in the cut-down period, the Mavericks still had one standard deal too many.
Why it was Powell
The other realistic options, Moussa Cisse, Caleb Martin and Marcus Sasser, would each have cost Dallas more in guaranteed salary to let go, which made the veteran on the smallest guarantee the cheapest cut.
Why it was Powell
His role had already been shrinking. Over 12 seasons in Dallas he averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.6 minutes, but last season he was down to 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 14.3 minutes across 63 games, 12 of them starts.
Why it was Powell
In three preseason appearances this month he played about 12 minutes a night, scoring 1.3 points with 2.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Where the roster stands
Dallas now carries 17 players: 15 on standard contracts and two on two-way deals, so both two-way slots are filled and the roster is at the regular-season maximum. The $1 million guarantee stays on the Mavericks' books whether or not another team claims Powell on waivers.
Where the roster stands
If he goes unclaimed, the 35-year-old big man becomes a free agent and can sign anywhere.
What comes next
The Mavericks open the 2026-27 season at the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, October 21, at 8:30 p.m.
What comes next
ET at Toyota Center (Mavericks at Rockets Game Center), then visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday, October 23, before their home opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, October 24.
Photo credit
Dwight Powell with Canada vs. Germany, Aug. 9, 2023. Photo: Sandro Halank / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized.
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