Mavericks to waive, stretch former first-rounder

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (X link), the 6-foot-8 forward is expected to draw interest as an unrestricted free agent when he hits the open market in a couple of days.

Dallas was reportedly trying to trade Prosper ahead of the 4:00 p.m. CT deadline to use the stretch provision. However, the Mavs were said to be reluctant to part with one of their two remaining second-rounders to shed Prosper’s salary, and instead will stretch it over three years, with annual cap hits of about $1M through 2027-28.

The Mavericks will automatically decline their $5.3M team option on Prosper for ’26-27 by releasing him.

Dallas needed to open up room under the second tax apron — at which the team is hard-capped — to re-sign Dante Exum, whose minimum-salary contract can now be finalized after being agreed to on July 2. Exum will essentially replace Prosper as the 15th standard contract on the team’s roster.

The 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Prosper has played a very limited role during his first two years in Dallas, averaging 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game across 92 regular season outings, with a .396/.260/.658 shooting line.

Prosper, who is from Montreal, also played 25 G League games with the Texas Legends as a rookie in 2023-24. The 23-year-old averaged 18.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.0 APG and 0.9 SPG on .498/.418/.762 shooting.