NBA Rumors: Dwight Powell Declines Mavericks Contract Option; Becomes Free Agent

Dallas Mavericks big man Dwight Powell is reportedly set to hit the open market.

On Monday, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Powell will decline a player option for the 2019-20 campaign that would have paid him $10.2 million and enter unrestricted free agency during the upcoming offseason.

Haynes noted Powell "is expected to have multiple suitors when the free-agent process begins July 1."

It is no surprise the Stanford product who entered the league as a second-round pick in 2014 will have multiple suitors considering he is just 27 years old and has demonstrated notable improvement with additional experience.

He scored a career-high 10.6 points a night this season for the Mavericks, continuing his streak of improving his scoring totals every year in the league. He also grabbed 5.3 rebounds a night while shooting a career-best 59.7 percent from the field.

Powell is also a capable defender who can guard centers on the blocks or forwards who extend their games to the perimeter. Opponents shot 1.4 percent worse from three-point range, 1.5 percent worse inside six feet and 1.9 percent worse overall than their normal averages when he guarded them in 2018-19, per NBA.com.

While Powell isn't going to attract the same attention or headlines as players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard this offseason, he is the type of role player who can bolster a frontcourt rotation and help lead a team to the postseason.

His versatility, willingness to battle on the boards and ability to take advantage of openings as a scorer figure to attract teams looking for immediate contenders in a winning window.