What changed
Moussa Cissé’s $2,185,116 salary for 2026–27 is now fully guaranteed after Dallas kept him through the October 1 deadline. Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal detailed the contract change Friday, and Marc Stein separately reported that the guarantee had taken effect.
The Mavericks are traveling to Macao with 15 guaranteed standard contracts. Dwight Powell remains in camp on a deal that does not currently occupy one of those 15 standard roster spots, so the team still has a decision to make before opening-night rosters are set.
The guarantee secures Cissé’s salary, not a rotation role or permanent roster protection. For now, it is a tangible commitment to the second-year center while Dallas evaluates a crowded frontcourt.
OUR INTERPRETATION
Why Dallas fans care
Our read: this removes the simplest financial escape hatch. Dallas can still change the roster, but waiving Cissé would no longer erase his 2026–27 salary commitment. The useful thing to watch is the eventual roster transaction, not an assumed winner in the center competition.