NBA Rumors: Dwight Powell Expected to Opt in on $10.2M Contract with Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks power forward Dwight Powell is reportedly planning to exercise a player option in his four-year, $37.3 million contract to remain with the Mavs for the 2019-20 NBA season.
Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reported the update Thursday and noted Powell will look to sign an extension with the organization sometime after July 5.
Last month, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported the 27-year-old Toronto native was going to decline the option to become an unrestricted free agent and was expected to attract "multiple suitors." But Haynes added the forward's "top priority is to work out a new deal with the Mavs."
"There's no place I would rather be than Dallas," Powell told Townsend on Tuesday. "I think I have done everything to show that I love it here. This team gave me my shot. They've treated me extremely well, as an athlete and as a man. I love the Dallas Mavericks."
The Stanford product has made slow but steady progress since the Charlotte Hornets selected him in the second round of the 2014 draft. He was traded twice, first to the Cleveland Cavaliers and then to the Boston Celtics, before playing his first game of his 2014-15 rookie campaign.
After just five regular-season appearances for the Celtics, he was traded again to Dallas and has remained with the Mavs for the past four-plus seasons.
Powell averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 59.7 percent from the field in 77 games (22 starts) for the Mavericks during the 2018-19 season. Among power forwards, he ranked ninth in ESPN's real plus-minus and 10th in player efficiency rating.
He was set to become the Mavs' most prominent free agent, so Dallas will be able to keep its core in place if he does exercise the option.
The focus would then shift to finding more star power to play alongside Luka Doncic as the Mavericks look to rise back up the standings in the highly competitive Western Conference.
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