According to Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed, the Dallas Mavericks are hoping backup big man Dwight Powell can continue to improve during the upcoming NBA season, particularly in terms of his three-point shooting.
“He’s got to be consistent like he has been (late last season) to be a stretch four,” Cuban said while assessing Powell’s play during the ’16-17 schedule. “The first 70 games, he wasn’t. We wanted him to be, but he wasn’t. But as a pick-and-roll guy, he’s been amazing. And if he can shoot 35 or more percent from three, that changes his game dramatically.”
The 26-year-old Powell signed a four-year, $37 million contract with the Mavs last offseason, and averaged career-high numbers of 6.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. He upped his production to 13.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game in Dallas’ last four games of the season.
Powell notably went an impressive 10-of-30 on three-pointers during those last four games after going just 11-of-44 over his first 73 games.
With 39-year-old Dirk Nowitzki no longer able to play consistently big minutes, Powell should get more opportunities to play next season. If he can continue to provide more of the shooting that Nowitzki brings to the table at the power forward position like he showed toward the end of last season, he could play a much bigger role in the Mavs rotation.
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