An emotional chapter in Dallas Mavericks history came to a close Monday as the franchise officially waived veteran center Dwight Powell ahead of the league’s final regular-season roster deadline. After a rollercoaster few seasons, Kyrie Irving, who remains the longest-tenured player on the Mavericks roster, has seen the biggest ins and outs of the locker room over his Dallas tenure, yet not having Dwight Powell as a teammate anymore stirred the most emotion.
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During a post-practice media availability, a reporter asked Irving about Powell’s decade-plus legacy in North Texas. Irving offered an unvarnished response reflecting the personal toll of the decision.
“Yeah. I mean, he’ll be severely missed,” said Irving (via Dallas Sports Journal on X). “He gave a lot to the franchise, just a consummate professional. Good friend of mine, good friend of a bunch of us on the team, past and present. And he represented a lot here in the city of Dallas. You know, he did a lot for us.”
Learning of the decision while at the team’s training facility, the All-Star guard reacted candidly about returning from an extended injury hiatus without a familiar face and Powell’s infectious energy.
“So, I was in a hot tub, you know, just getting to the facility, just finding out. So, you know, it’s a little heartbreaking, but like I said, we’re going to miss him. But I guess you got to add in the metaphor. That’s the phrase, like that’s just NBA business. So, you know, it is. But it’s always tough when you lose a good human in the locker room that, you know, represents leadership, good energy coming in every single day.”
Following Powell’s exit, Irving, who arrived in Dallas via trade in February 2023, becomes the longest-tenured player on the roster, underscoring how rapidly the franchise core has evolved following its 2024 NBA Finals appearance.
Powell’s decade-and-a-half run with the Mavericks stands among the most durable tenures in organization history. Originally acquired from the Boston Celtics in December 2014 as a secondary inclusion in the Rajon Rondo trade, the 6’10 center logged 763 games in Dallas, cementing his spot across the franchise record books.
Powell leaves ranking fourth in career field-goal percentage at 60.6%, fifth in total games played, sixth in offensive rebounds with 1,187, sixth in total rebounds with 3,251, and 10th in blocks with 330.
Beyond his statistical longevity, Powell served as a cornerstone off the court, earning universal praise for his community work throughout the Dallas area and his active leadership with the National Basketball Players Association.
In an official team statement released Monday, Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri expressed deep gratitude for Powell’s contributions.
“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. We are grateful for everything Dwight has contributed to this franchise. He will always be part of the Mavericks family, and Dallas will always be a home for him. We wish him nothing but the best in this next chapter.”
New head coach Dusty May reflected on the summer he got to work with Powell to praise his professionalism throughout training camp.
“In my short stint here, his professionalism, his attitude – he exemplified everything that you’d want to a Maverick to be about,” coach May said. “So want to say thanks to him. He certainly had an impact on all of us. And the same thing, Seth Lundy and JP had an impact on our team. We’re better because they were here and you never know what the future holds.”
May believes that Powell still has more NBA seasons in him but also hinted that coaching might be in the veteran’s future.
With guards Seth Lundy and John Poulakidas also waived over the weekend, the Mavericks finalized their standard roster ahead of Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. If Powell clears waivers on Wednesday afternoon, the 35-year-old big man will enter unrestricted free agency, officially bringing an end to a 12-season era in Dallas.