Mavericks retain Moussa Cissé after matching Knicks’ offer sheet

The Dallas Mavericks are hanging on to Moussa Cissé. The Mavericks on Saturday matched an offer sheet the New York Knicks extended to the shot-blocking center, league sources confirmed. Cissé, who spent last season on a two-way contract with the Mavericks, will be on a standard contract worth the league minimum this coming season. He signed a two-year deal, which is non-guaranteed for the 2027-28 season. Cissé, a former college big for Penny Hardaway at the University of Memphis, signed with the Mavericks after going undrafted last summer. He appeared in 38 games as a rookie and averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 13.9 minutes per game. The Knicks had interest in him after they lost Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti in free agency, but the Mavericks chose to retain him, even though they already have plenty of depth in their frontcourt. Cissé’s signing guarantees the Mavericks must make another roster move this summer. They have 16 standard contracts on their books and will have to whittle that number to 15 as the regular season approaches. The Mavericks explored trading center Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline in February, league sources with rival teams told The Athletic. Gafford is owed $17.3 million this season and has a total of three years remaining on his deal. Dereck Lively II, the 22-year-old who played in only 43 games the past two seasons because of right foot injuries, is entering the final season of his rookie year deal in Dallas. It’s possible Morez Johnson Jr., the No. 9 pick in last month’s NBA Draft, sees minutes at center this season, too. Cissé spent much of his high school career in the New York area. He attended Christ the King in Queens, then played for Memphis, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss over a five-year college career. His basketball journey will continue in Texas, however, as the Mavericks look to build around star forward Cooper Flagg.