The Dallas Mavericks are running out of time to clear a roster spot for guard Dante Exum, and the front office may be forced to waive a player if no trade materializes before Friday’s deadline.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that Dallas could ultimately use the NBA’s waive-and-stretch provision to create room rather than attaching draft capital to move Olivier-Maxence Prosper. The deadline for teams to release and stretch contracts is set for 5 p.m. ET on Friday.
The Mavericks have been shopping Prosper, the No. 24 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, in recent weeks. The 23-year-old forward averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds across 52 games last season, playing limited minutes off the bench.
While moving Prosper via trade would free up the necessary roster spot, interest around the league has been quiet, raising the possibility that Dallas will need to waive another contract instead.
Exum, who reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Mavericks on July 2, has yet to officially sign. The 30-year-old Australian guard averaged 9.1 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 rebounds in 18 games last season before a hand injury in March ended his year early.
Despite the setback, Exum’s efficiency stood out. He shot a career-best 44.7% from three-point range and stabilized Dallas’ second unit as both a ballhandler and defender. His return is viewed as a key piece of the Mavericks’ rotation heading into the 2025–26 season.
Dallas finished 39–43 last year and exited the Play-In Tournament against Memphis, but optimism has grown after selecting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in June. Bringing Exum back ensures additional backcourt depth alongside D’Angelo Russell.
If the Mavericks opt for a waive-and-stretch move, the team would spread the salary hit over multiple years to remain financially flexible while preserving its draft assets. That scenario would secure Exum’s roster spot without sacrificing young talent like Prosper in a forced trade.
With the deadline hours away, Dallas must choose between finding a trade partner or cutting ties with another player to keep Exum in uniform. Either way, the decision will finalize the team’s guard rotation as training camp approaches.
