By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Dallas Mavericks face an immediate roster crunch after re-signing veteran center Dwight Powell on Friday.
This numbers game leaves Tarik Biberovic fighting for his spot just days after his official NBA arrival at the preseason media day.
Dallas carries a full 15-player roster on standard contracts. To fit Powell under the league limit, management must subtract a player through a trade or a waiver. As detailed by Marc Stein of The Stein Line on Sunday, the situation presents a painful dilemma for the front office.
The Turkish forward recently shared his excitement about bringing his ‘lights-out’ perimeter shooting to Texas after an eight-year run with EuroLeague powerhouse Fenerbahçe. Dallas genuinely wants to keep him. However, his two-year, $6 million contract includes a flexible second-year team option. This structure, alongside the salaries of Marcus Sasser and Moussa Cisse, makes them the easiest candidates to clear space. The final decision must be announced before the start of the 2026–27 Regular Season on October 19.
To avoid losing the 25-year-old sharpshooter for nothing, they can pursue a trade to reduce the roster size. However, the most likely scenario is to simply waive 35-year-old Powell. Waiving Biberovic or another player instead remains an absolute last resort.
The Mavs are opening their preseason schedule in Macao against the Houston Rockets on October 9 and 11. Back in Dallas, they host the New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks. Starting the Regular Season, they face the Rockets in Houston on October 21.
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