The Dallas Mavericks aren’t guaranteed to keep the center Moussa Cisse in the building for the 2026-2027 NBA season.
While most teams have their rosters finalized, the Mavs are still trying to figure out if Cisse will be on their opening-night roster. Naturally, several interested teams are paying close attention to the situation.
The NBA insider Marc Stein linked the Chicago Bulls to the Dallas center, as the situation garners more attention this week.
The Latest On Moussa Cisse In Dallas
“Retaining Powell — barring a trade that creates some additional roster flexibility for Dallas — would necessitate the release of one Maverick holding a guaranteed contract. There’s a growing expectation among rival teams that Moussa Cisse is the Dallas player in the greatest jeopardy,” Marc Stein wrote on October 18.
The insider added that Cisse is a “real candidate” to be claimed off waivers if the Mavericks take that route. The Bulls have interest, along with the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Considering the state of each franchise mentioned, the Bulls have a strong shot at landing Cisse if he becomes available, since the Hawks don’t have an open roster spot. Meanwhile, the Sixers and the Lakers would need Cisse to clear waivers in order to get him on a two-way.
Chicago Bulls Depth Chart
The Bulls currently have three players billed as centers on their roster.
Nic Claxton is the offseason pickup that the Bulls are hoping to see a lot of value in. The 27-year-old has multiple seasons of full-time starting experience and will get paid $23.3 million for the upcoming season.
Beyond Claxton, the Bulls have Jalen Smith and Zach Collins. Both are often regarded as potential trade candidates for the rebuilding Bulls.
Cisse debuted with the Mavs during the 2025-2026 NBA season. He made 38 appearances, seeing the court for 13.9 minutes per game off the bench.
During that time, Cisse shot 57.4% from the field, averaging 4.5 points per game. Along with his scoring, the center came down with 5.7 rebounds per game, and blocked 1.2 shots per game.
Considering his age (just turned 24), Cisse is certainly on the ideal timeline for a young Bulls team that wants to turn things around as soon as possible. If he becomes available, Chicago certainly had an advantage in landing him.