A report dropped Monday saying Dallas Mavericks big man Dwight Powell will reportedly decline the $10.2 million player option on the final year of his contract, but there appears to be some conflicting information out there:
NBA source texts that Powell report is "b.s.," but unclear whether the "b.s." part is about Powell opting out or exploring the free agent market. Mavs have not wavered in their confidence in keeping Powell.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) May 20, 2019
It is not totally clear whether or not Powell is actually opting out of his deal, and nothing has been made official yet. However, it looks like the Mavs value what he brings to the table and would prefer to keep the big man either way.
If Powell does opt out, perhaps Dallas will look to bring him back at a cheaper annual price but on a long-term deal, giving them more cap space to work with as they embark on building their franchise around Rookie of the Year finalist Luka Doncic and newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis.
Powell is an athletic and versatile big man who is capable of rim-running in pick-and-rolls and catching lobs, something we saw a lot of with Doncic last season. Likewise, Powell has a pretty good touch and can stretch the floor with the occasional 3-pointer.
While his defense doesn't stand out, Powell's activity on that end makes him a pretty capable defender as well.
The five-year man out of Stanford averaged a career-high 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 21.6 minutes per game for Dallas last season, all while shooting an efficient 59.7 percent from the field.
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