Sources: Dallas Mavericks Match New York Knicks’ Offer Sheet, Keep Moussa Cissé

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks matched the New York Knicks’ two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet on restricted free agent center Moussa Cissé, Dallas Hoops Journal has learned. Dallas acted well ahead of Monday’s 48-hour deadline, keeping the 23-year-old center with the organization for a second season.

Cissé’s salary is just under $2.19 million for 2026-27, 50% guaranteed, and $2.57 million for 2027-28, fully non-guaranteed. The guaranteed portion of his 2026-27 salary rises to $1.1 million if he’s still on the roster past Sept. 1 and becomes fully guaranteed Oct. 1. Because Dallas matched rather than let him walk, Cissé cannot be traded without his consent for one year, and cannot be traded to the Knicks at all during that window.

Dallas Mavericks Roster Fallout

Matching pushes Dallas to 16 players on standard contracts, one over the 15-man limit teams must reach by the start of the regular season, likely forcing a corresponding roster move before camp. The Mavericks’ frontcourt is already crowded: Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Cissé are natural centers, while Santi Aldama, No. 9 pick Morez Johnson Jr. and, to an extent, P.J. Washington offer some center versatility as well.

Gafford has been a trade-market name to watch since signing a three-year, $54 million extension last summer, and a lingering ankle injury suffered in training camp limited his effectiveness and his trade value through the rest of the 2025-26 season and into the Jan. 26 deadline, when Dallas ultimately held onto him.

Still, the Mavericks have options at center beyond Gafford. Lively is working back from season-ending right foot surgery that limited him to seven games last season, which makes a case for keeping Gafford in place until Lively proves he can stay on the floor for a consistent stretch. Johnson played center frequently in Summer League, while Aldama also profiles as a capable small-ball five if Dallas wants to lean on alternatives at the position.

New York Knicks’ Search Continues

New York’s bid for bench center depth is back where it started. The Knicks lost both Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti to division rivals this offseason, pursued trades for Yves Missi and Moussa Diabate before turning to Cissé, and now return to the market after Dallas’ swift match. New York has since signed Andre Drummond and shown interest in Jonas Valančiūnas.

The match carries an organizational footnote for New York: Dallas’ president, Masai Ujiri, was Knicks owner James Dolan’s target to run basketball operations for years. Dolan pursued Ujiri after Phil Jackson‘s dismissal in 2017 and made another run in 2019, before reportedly losing interest and hiring Leon Rose in 2020. Ujiri instead joined the Mavericks’ front office this offseason.

The two organizations also have a more recent history during Ujiri’s time there. The Knicks sued the Raptors in August 2023, alleging Toronto conspired with a former Knicks video and analytics staffer to steal thousands of confidential scouting files after he left New York to join the Raptors’ new coaching staff under Darko Rajaković. New York sought $10 million in damages. The case went to NBA-mandated arbitration under commissioner Adam Silver before the two sides mutually dismissed it in October 2025.

Moussa Cissé’s Path

Cissé went undrafted out of Memphis in 2025 after playing at four schools across five college seasons. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Dallas for training camp before converting to a two-way contract ahead of the 2025-26 season.

In 38 games (1 start), he averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 13.9 minutes, shooting 57.4% from the field. He also appeared in 16 G League games with the Texas Legends, averaging 14.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 27.7 minutes.