The Dallas Mavericks waived longtime center Dwight Powell on Monday, likely ending his 12-year run with the franchise. Powell was originally acquired in December 2014 as part of a trade that brought Rajon Rondo from Boston, a deal that included five players and two draft picks. Rondo later clashed with then-coach Rick Carlisle and left without playing a full season with Dallas, while Powell went on to play the next 11 full seasons with the Mavericks.
Powell was a late addition just as training camp started last month, which raised the possibility of a 13th season in Dallas. However, the Mavericks already had the full allotment of 15 guaranteed contracts, so keeping him would have forced the team to release one of those players. The 35-year-old was in and out of the rotation throughout his time in Dallas. He has played all but five of his 768 games with the club, including 266 starts, averaging 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 17.5 minutes per game.
President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri praised Powell's professionalism and character. "Dwight was the consummate professional throughout his 12 seasons with the Mavericks and embodies everything you want in someone representing your organization," Ujiri said. "He's a tireless worker, an incredible teammate and someone whose impact extends well beyond the basketball court and into the Dallas community."
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing