Skip to content

Mavericks' Dwight Powell: Expected to be rotation player in 2016-17

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle recently said that he expects Powell to be a rotation player during the 2016-17 season, ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon reports. "The last two years we've been working toward this period where we could get [Powell] signed to a longer-term deal and integrate him to our everyday rotation," Carlisle said. "He's a combination 'four'/'five.' I see him playing both positions. Time will tell how much at each, but I do believe there are going to be a lot of situations where he'll play both positions in the same game."

Analysis:

Though he appeared in 69 of the Mavs' 82 regular-season games last season, Powell was only a fringe rotation option for the team, averaging just 5.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game. With the Mavs stepping up this summer to re-sign Powell to a four-year, $37 million contract, the third-year big man will now have a chance to see an expanded role as a primary backup to either starting power forward Dirk Nowitzki or starting center Andrew Bogut. Given how injury prone Bogut has been historically, Powell represents a quality insurance option down low for the Mavs, and could produce some sneaky fantasy value during the upcoming season.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox