Mavericks add Dwight Powell to leadership council
People scoffed at former Chicago Bulls coach Jim Boylen when he announced the team would have a "leadership committee" one week into his tenure as head coach in 2018. Even though the Bulls fired Boylen in 2020, the idea lived on when the Dallas Mavericks hired Jason Kidd last season. Kidd immediately formed a "leadership council," comprised of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway, Jr. Since Porzingis was traded away midway through the season, the council was short-handed until Wednesday.
Last year, the previous leadership council made two big recommendations to start the season. One was that all 15 players on the roster would play on opening night. Second was that future Councilman Dwight Powell would start at center. It's not clear how much of an advisory role they took later in the year. It would have been very awkward for Councilman Porzingis to weigh in on his own trade to the Washington Wizards, for example.
For the Bulls, their five-member group never had defined roles, but Boylen said he was "jacked and juiced up about it." They also made a midseason committee appointment, with Otto Porter Jr. promoted after Justin Holiday was traded. (The other committee members were Zach LaVine, Robin Lopez, Lauri Markkanen and Bobby Portis. All but LaVine were gone within two years.)
Powell is clearly a respected veteran for Dallas, but he also has a very tenuous spot on the roster. Both of the Mavericks' big offseason additions were centers. Powell is clearly behind JaVale McGee — promised the starting job when he signed — and trade acquisition Christian Wood. He might also be behind Maxi Kleber on the depth chart.
With an expiring $11 million contract, Powell could be a trade chip at the deadline. But even if he's traded away, the Mavs have proved that the leadership council is bigger than any one player.
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