The Dallas Mavericks just made another head-scratching move, waiving a former first-round pick! Two seasons later, Olivier-Maxence Prosper is out. Is this a sign of salary cap woes, a peculiar roster strategy with aging stars and young talent like Cooper Flagg, or a gamble that could haunt them in the future?
The Dallas Mavericks have once again sparked conversation across the league with their recent decision to waive forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper after just two seasons. This latest NBA roster move has left many questioning the strategic direction of the franchise, especially concerning their investments in promising young talent. The premature departure of a former first-round pick signals a perplexing turn for a team navigating significant NBA salary cap constraints and championship aspirations.
Originally selected as the No. 24 pick in the draft, Prosper’s tenure with the Dallas Mavericks was unexpectedly brief. His waiver comes at a critical juncture, specifically ahead of the league’s deadline for teams to utilize the waive-and-stretch provision. This financial maneuver became necessary due to the Mavericks being hard-capped at the second apron, a consequence of prior contractual agreements, notably the acquisition of point guard D’Angelo Russell using the taxpayer mid-level exception.
The financial implications of this decision are substantial for the Dallas Mavericks. Prosper, who was set to earn just over $3 million in the 2025-26 season, will now have his salary stretched across the next three years, accounting for approximately $1,002,360 annually against the team’s NBA salary cap. This strategy, while freeing up immediate roster space, effectively commits future cap flexibility to a player no longer on the roster, highlighting the delicate balance of an NBA front office’s financial planning.
Despite the high hopes associated with a first-round selection, Olivier-Maxence Prosper struggled to solidify a consistent role within the Dallas Mavericks rotation. In his second season, he averaged 11.2 minutes across 54 games, contributing 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds. While these numbers don’t fully encapsulate a player’s potential, parting ways with a 23-year-old first-round pick after such a short period is widely considered suboptimal NBA business and reflects a missed opportunity in player development.
The waiver also sheds light on the idiosyncratic construction of the Dallas Mavericks’ roster. While boasting top young talent like 18-year-old Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick from last year’s draft, the team simultaneously features a core of aging veterans, including 35-year-old Klay Thompson, 33-year-old Kyrie Irving, and 32-year-old Anthony Davis. This unusual blend creates a significant age disparity, with several key players over 30, while others will reach that milestone during the upcoming season.
This roster dynamic is heavily influenced by the repercussions of the infamous Luka Doncic trade, which brought in the much older and injury-prone Anthony Davis. Despite Kyrie Irving’s likely absence for most of the season due to an ACL tear, the Dallas Mavericks found themselves unable to pivot towards a full youth movement. The prospect of trading away stars like Davis would have been a significant public relations challenge, given the franchise player sacrificed to acquire him. General Manager Nico Harrison faces a tough balancing act.
Consequently, the Mavericks opted for what they perceived as a “minor embarrassment” by releasing a first-round pick rather than undertaking more drastic roster overhauls. This decision places immense pressure on Cooper Flagg and his teammates to achieve immediate success. With one of the NBA’s highest payrolls and a potentially narrow window to contend while Davis and Irving remain star-level talents, the stakes are exceptionally high for the Dallas Mavericks in the competitive Western Conference.
For Olivier-Maxence Prosper, this development presents a fresh start. His profile as an excellent athlete with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and substantial defensive upside makes him an appealing candidate for a minimum signing with another team seeking to develop raw talent. The Mavericks are effectively underwriting his future growth elsewhere, raising the intriguing possibility that Prosper could return to “haunt” his former team in the Western Conference next season, a testament to the unpredictable nature of NBA News and player trajectories.
