Dwight Powell will provide veteran leadership for the Dallas Mavericks

What else is there to say about Dwight Powell? He’s become a fixture of the Dallas Mavericks, something almost no one would have expected when he was acquired via trade with the Boston Celtics AN ENTIRE DECADE AGO. That’s right, Powell became a Maverick when Barack Obama was President. The iPhone 6 had just been released. Taylor Swift’s boyfriend had just completed his rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Powell is inevitable. He’ll be on this team when we colonize Mars. He’s played the fifth-most games in franchise history, and only three other players have been with Dallas for more seasons. He’s never been great, but always steady, a reliable front court player often in over his head due to injuries or poor roster management. Powell stuck around by working hard and playing smart, overcoming his talent deficit by having a higher motor than everyone else.

Last season, though, Powell moved into a different role. The Mavericks finally upgraded their big man depth, drafting Dereck Lively II and trading for Daniel Gafford. The two of them are bigger, more athletic, and better skilled. Powell has a better basketball I.Q. than the young players, and now it’s his job to pass on everything he knows to them. He’ll be a steady veteran presence on the bench, ready to play if needed, but really a coach with a jersey on, pushing Lively and Gafford to be the best they can be.

Biggest question

How many times will Powell get hit in the face by a basketball this season? Probably a lot. Luckily, there’s an account that will track it for you. Follow Did Dwight Powell Get Hit in the Face Tonight? to keep up.

Best case scenario

It seems mean to say it, but the best case scenario is Powell remains third or fourth in the big man rotation for the Mavericks. He’s 33 years old, and the front court talent in the Western Conference just continues to get better. Powell’s best role is being a mentor for the young bigs in Dallas and performing mop up duty in blowouts. Anything more than that would be pushing Powell into a role he’s not equipped for these days.

Worst case scenario

If the Mavericks have a slew of injuries in the front court, Powell could be pressed into duty too often. He’d be fine to fill in for a few games, especially depending on who the Mavericks would be playing in that short stretch. But if Powell has to play big minutes for a long period of time, Dallas will likely suffer. He’ll perform admirably, but the NBA just has too many talented big men to have Powell matching up against them for 25-30 minutes per game.