Mavericks sign conference Defensive Player of the Year after 2025 NBA Draft

Along with these two players, Dallas also signed Memphis Tigers center Moussa Cisse to an Exhibit 10 contract. Cisse, who played five seasons of college basketball starting at Memphis, then Oklahoma State, then Ole Miss, then back to Memphis. He was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22, and though he jumped around different teams throughout his collegiate career, he had an impact despite not being an elite scorer.

Standing at 6-foot-11 and weighing 230 pounds, Cisse, a native of Conakry, Guinea, averaged 1.7 blocks per game for his career, helping earn him recognition as a true rim protector and shot deterrent. This past season, he averaged 5.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, starting in 16 of the Tigers' 35 games and playing 18.2 minutes per.

Signing him to an Exhibit 10 makes this a non-risk for the Mavericks. This particular deal means that Cisse has an NBA training camp invite and the ability to earn a two-way contract, but his salary is non-guaranteed, meaning Dallas can waive him without paying out his full earnings. However, if he is waived but remains on the G-League affiliate for at least 60 days, he is entitled to an Exhibit 10 bonus.

Given the Mavericks' crowded frontcourt, it's unlikely that Cisse makes the roster, but it is a chance to prove himself and an opportunity to play on the team's Summer League roster. If he wants to make it in the NBA, he now has a chance to prove he belongs.