Dallas

Mavericks

Aldama underwent knee surgery in March that ended his season prematurely. He’ll won’t suit up for Spain during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers to prioritize his recovery, but he is expected to be ready for training camp in late September. Aldama was dealt to Dallas in July, so this will be a fresh start with a new team that is loaded with frontcourt talent.

Added via sign-and-trade ahead of the 2024-25 season, Thompson’s first two seasons in Dallas have not gone as planned. While his 38.7 percent mark from three is respectable, that is nearly four percentage points lower than his number with the Warriors. Also, the Mavericks have not been a contender in Thompson’s two seasons, especially after former lead executive Nico Harrison decided to trade Luka Dončić to the Lakers. With 16 players on standard contracts and a new lead executive, Masai Ujiri, calling the shots, it’s unsurprising that the Mavericks would reportedly explore the market for Thompson. In July, it was reported that Miami had interest in Thompson, potentially adding another shooter to play off of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Marshall is entering his third season in Dallas and is now set to be tied to the team until 2030. The two best scoring seasons of his career have come during his time with the Mavericks, and his veteran presence will be important as they continue to add young talent. Marshall has stepped up when Dallas has dealt with injuries in the frontcourt, and he’ll likely continue to be a valuable reserve option for them next season.

While Lively finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2024 as part of a team that reached the NBA Finals, injuries have been a major issue in his three seasons. The 7-foot-1 center has struggled with right foot injuries, most recently appearing in just seven games last season before undergoing surgery. With Daniel Gafford on the squad and the Mavericks having added Santi Aldama and rookie Morez Johnson Jr., the team has options in the frontcourt. Lively and the Mavericks have until just before the start of the 2026-27 regular season to agree on a new deal. If they can’t, he will be a restricted free agent next summer. Lively can be a productive option for fantasy managers, but the injury concerns may make him someone not worth the risk in standard leagues.

Not long after the Mavericks waived forward Tyler Smith, opening up a two-way contract slot, the franchise filled the vacancy by signing Howard. The 11th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Howard failed to earn consistent rotation minutes in his three seasons with the Magic. He appeared in 55 games last season, averaging 5.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 12.6 minutes. Howard shot the ball reasonably well from beyond the arc, making 37.2 percent of his attempts. He joins John Poulakidis and Tobi Lawal as two-way contract players on the Mavericks roster.

The former No. 1 overall pick wasn’t able to figure things out in Atlanta, but he’ll get a fresh start in Dallas. With Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz running the show for the Mavs, they have rebuilt this roster around Cooper Flagg by adding multiple new players in the frontcourt, including Risacher, Santi Aldama and Morez Johnson. Risacher’s role will likely be limited off the bench to start his tenure with Dallas, though a fresh start on a rebuilding team could yield him the opportunity to develop into the player the Hawks hoped he would become. The three second-round picks heading to OKC are Chicago’s 2027 pick from Dallas and most favorable picks in 2031 and 2032 from Atlanta.

With the Knicks and Cissé agreeing to an offer sheet on Saturday afternoon, the Mavericks had until Monday to decide whether they would match it. Dallas didn’t even wait until the end of Saturday to match the offer, which gets the 6-foot-11 center a two-year guaranteed contract. Cissé had his moments as a rookie, most notably grabbing 20 rebounds in the Mavericks’ season finale. The Mavericks have solid depth at center, but holding onto Cissé gives them a needed insurance policy after Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II struggled with injuries last season.

Cissé, who spent his rookie season on a two-way deal with the Mavericks after going undrafted, is a restricted free agent. As a result, the Mavericks have the right to match the offer sheet, which will be worth just under $2.2 million next season and just under $2.6 million in 2027-28. While the Knicks did sign Andre Drummond earlier in free agency, there is still a need for a third big, and Cissé offers youth and a far more athletic profile if the reigning champions can sign him.

Cisse is a restricted free agent, so he’s not on the Knicks officially just yet. The 23-year-old center agreed to a two-year offer sheet with New York. His salary would only be guaranteed for the first year, according to Charania. Cisse had a minimal role last year with the Mavericks. Dallas has 48 hours to match the offer sheet or they’ll lose Cisse to the Knicks.

Due to injuries, Poulakidis appeared in 13 NBA games for the Mavericks as a rookie. He surpassed 20 points in two of his final three games, including a 28-point effort against the Bulls in the regular-season finale, so the Mavericks are well aware of what the former Yale standout is capable of. Against the Thunder, Poulakidis shot 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, leading six Mavericks in double figures with 19 points. Given his status as a two-way contract player and the Mavericks boasting a better rotation than last season, Poulakidis’ opportunities in 2026-27 are likely to be limited.