The Dallas Mavericks willingly invited disaster to their door when they suddenly found themselves discontent with the 15 guys they already had on their roster. Dwight Powell's number was called. Now, the Mavericks have a decision coming up which the Los Angeles Lakers will hope goes in their favor.
Dallas are no strangers to doing Los Angeles favors. Right, Luka Doncic? Parting ways with Moussa Cisse could end up being the latest move where the Mavericks end up improving the Lakers in the process.
Cisse showed promise in 38 regular season games with Dallas last season. The Mavericks center posted 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in just 13.9 minutes per game during the 2025-26 campaign. That would be production the Lakers should be happy to have at backup center.
Despite holding tight to Cisse throughout the summer, Powell is primed to force the Mavericks to make a tough call between the two. If Dallas elects to go with the 35-year-old vet over the 24-year-old youngster, the Lakers will not be far from the phone lines.
The Stein Line is reporting Moussa Cisse's spot in Dallas is not untouchable
It was The Stein Line, featuring Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, who sparked interest over whether the Mavericks could legitimately make the decision to move on from Cisse. The NBA insiders dropped vital intel on the situation in the latest round-up of whispers from around the league.
"Now would the Mavericks really release, say, center Moussa Cissé to make room for Powell ...? That all seemed highly unlikely … until hearing [Dusty] May gush over Powell's play.
It was mentioned how the Mavericks went to notable lengths to retain Cisse throughout the summer. Matching an offer sheet and having his salary become fully guaranteed spoke to a clear desire to keep him around. May's fondness of Powell is challenging that.
Lakers would love a cheap and productive backup like Moussa Cisse
Cisse is far from the perfect backup. The foul trouble, in particular, stands out as a touch concerning. However, by comparison to some of the other options who could become available, there is at least excitement about what a bit of added growth alongside Doncic could do for him.
Adding Cisse would mean the Lakers would have to send two of their current roster members packing. They are at 16 now. They would need to get to 14 before getting put back up to 15 with the new center.
Kevon Looney is penciled in as the only true backup center on the roster behind Walker Kessler right now. Sandro Mamukelashvili can and will play the five, but he is a player who will split his time between that and the four-spot. The Lakers will need someone with a more classic center build for certain matchups.
Looney would currently be the guy who Los Angeles turns to for those minutes. The veteran center has been a strong locker room presence since arriving, but his on-court upside is limited. Taking a shot on Cisse for a chance at an upgrade is more than justified for the Lakers.
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