Mavericks waive Dwight Powell, likely closing his 12-year stay in Dallas

Dwight Powell's long stay in Dallas appears to be over.

The Mavericks waived the 35-year-old center on Monday. Powell was a late addition when training camp opened last month, which raised hopes for a 13th season with the team. But Dallas already had a full set of 15 guaranteed contracts. Keeping him would have meant cutting someone else.

A Mavericks lifer

Powell came to Dallas in December 2014. He was the lesser-known part of the deal that sent Rajon Rondo from the Celtics to the Mavericks, a swap built around five players and two draft picks.

Rondo clashed with then-coach Rick Carlisle and was gone before he finished a full season in Dallas. Powell stayed for the next 11 full seasons.

Powell has 768 NBA games on his record. Only five of them came for another team. He started 266 times and put up 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 17.5 minutes a night while drifting in and out of the rotation.

"The consummate professional"

Masai Ujiri, the team's president of basketball operations, praised Powell on his way out.

"Dwight was the consummate professional throughout his 12 seasons with the Mavericks and embodies everything you want in someone representing your organization," Ujiri said.

He called Powell a tireless worker and an incredible teammate whose impact reached well beyond the court and into the Dallas community.