Around the Beat: Powell Signs, Irving Trade Talk, Flagg's…

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk · Friday, September 25

Dallas locked in Dwight Powell for training camp while the local press argued over whether trading Kyrie Irving still makes sense. Cooper Flagg keeps climbing outside rankings before he has played a single game in year two.

Mavericks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Powell Fills a Spot, Not Everyone Convinced

Dallas confirmed Dwight Powell's signing and released its training camp roster, per Mavs.com. The move gives Dusty May a twelfth NBA season big man, with total payroll at $197.9M, still south of the $200.4M threshold. The Smoking Cuban's Noah Weber called it a risky move the Mavericks can't afford, though the piece didn't spell out which contract or roster spot pays the price. Powell joins a frontcourt already carrying Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, with five of Dallas' six future first-round picks tied up in swaps or debts to Charlotte, the Clippers and Brooklyn.

Kyrie Trade Chatter Meets His Own Recovery

The Smoking Cuban ran two takes on Kyrie Irving this week: one argued ESPN's rankings give Dallas reason to think twice before trading him, the other said he'll prove the shutdown call was the right one. Mavs Moneyball's Dalton Trigg added that Irving enjoyed the player-coach role last year but wants to play now. Irving is still day-to-day on a left knee, with an estimated return of October 9, so any trade debate collides with the same date his own minutes are set to start. That $39.5M cap number is the largest on Dallas' books, a hard number for any trade scenario to route around.

Flagg's Ranking Climbs Before Camp Opens

Mavs Moneyball's David Trink flagged Cooper Flagg and Irving both landing in ESPN's top-50, and the Smoking Cuban ran separate pieces calling his growth spurt and his ranking signs of a path to superstardom. The production backs the buzz: Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists at 19 years old last season, the best rookie season Dallas has produced in years, before a single training camp practice.

Did the Mavericks officially sign Dwight Powell?

Yes, Mavs.com confirmed the signing and released Dallas' 2026-27 training camp roster on September 25.

Is Kyrie Irving healthy going into training camp?

No, Irving is listed day-to-day with a left knee issue and has an estimated return date of October 9.

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.