![\"Dallas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2245589918-e1784476936833.jpg\")
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Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Ciss\u00e9 hangs on the rim after a dunk during an NBA game. Dallas matched the New York Knicks’ two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet to retain the restricted free agent.<\/p>\n
The New York Knicks<\/a> officially saw their pursuit of Moussa Ciss\u00e9 come to an end Saturday when the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> matched<\/a> the restricted free agent center\u2019s two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet.<\/p>\n Not necessarily forever.<\/p>\n While Dallas\u2019 decision keeps Ciss\u00e9 off the market for now, the Mavericks still face several roster decisions before opening night, leaving a narrow\u2014if unlikely\u2014path for the Knicks should circumstances change.<\/p>\n Mavericks Match Knicks\u2019 Offer<\/p>\n New York structured the offer sheet as a two-year, $4.7 million contract that gave Dallas a relatively inexpensive decision to make.<\/p>\n The first season carries a salary of roughly $2.2 million, with half of that amount guaranteed. The second year, worth approximately $2.5 million, is non-guaranteed.<\/p>\n Dallas ultimately decided that it was a price worth matching.<\/p>\n The move came after several NBA<\/a> analysts praised the Knicks for targeting one of the league\u2019s more intriguing developmental rim protectors.<\/p>\n ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks<\/a> called it an \u201cunder-the-radar\u201d signing, while NBA analyst Nate Duncan<\/a>\u00a0wrote, \u201cLove it!\u201d in response to the offer sheet.<\/p>\n Salary Cap Experts Outline the Only Remaining Scenario Getty\u00a0Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Ciss\u00e9 dunks during an NBA game. The 23-year-old restricted free agent signed a two-year offer sheet with the New York Knicks, though Dallas quickly matched it.<\/p>\n Once Dallas exercised its matching rights, the Knicks lost the ability to acquire Ciss\u00e9 via trade.<\/p>\n Salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron<\/a> explained why.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Knicks cannot trade for Moussa Ciss\u00e9 now that his offer sheet is matched,\u201d Gozlan wrote on X.<\/p>\n \u201cThere would be one exception: They could sign him if he\u2019s waived.\u201d<\/p>\n Marks added<\/a> that Dallas now has 16 players on standard contracts, with Ciss\u00e9 the only player whose 2026-27 salary is not fully guaranteed.<\/p>\n According to Marks, Ciss\u00e9\u2019s first-year salary remains guaranteed for only half its value if he is waived on or before Sept. 1. The remainder becomes guaranteed on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n Marks also noted that because Dallas matched the offer sheet, Ciss\u00e9 cannot be traded without his consent for one year and cannot be traded to the Knicks during that period.<\/p>\n That means waivers\u2014not a trade\u2014represent New York\u2019s only conceivable path to acquiring him.<\/p>\n Mavericks Still Have Time to Open Roster Spot for\u00a0Ciss\u00e9<\/p>\n Whether Dallas ever reaches that point remains uncertain.<\/p>\n The Stein Line\u2019s NBA insider Marc Stein cautioned against drawing conclusions about the Mavericks\u2019 crowded frontcourt immediately after news broke that Dallas had matched the Knicks\u2019 offer sheet.<\/p>\n Speaking on the DLLS Sports podcast<\/a>, Stein noted that the Mavericks still have time to reshape their roster before the regular season.<\/p>\n \u201cIf this was September 19th, then I think we could look at it and say, \u2018Yes, there\u2019s a logjam that needs to be addressed,’\u201d Stein said. \u201cOr maybe even August 19th.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, Stein pointed out that Dallas is still exploring additional moves.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know Daniel Gafford\u2014they\u2019re still fielding offers on him,\u201d Stein said.<\/p>\n Stein also noted previous reporting that Dallas would prefer to trade Klay Thompson<\/a> rather than negotiate a contract buyout, adding that more roster moves could still come before training camp concludes.<\/p>\n \u201cI just think it\u2019ll be a lot easier to answer those questions when we know that the moves for the offseason are really done,\u201d Stein said. \u201cIt makes little sense to me to proclaim them done.\u201d<\/p>\n For now, Dallas\u2019 frontcourt includes Dereck Lively<\/a> II, Daniel Gafford<\/a>, offseason acquisition Santi Aldama<\/a>, rookie Morez Johnson<\/a> Jr. and Ciss\u00e9.<\/p>\n Knicks Continue Their Search<\/p>\n For New York, the broader objective remains unchanged.<\/p>\n The Knicks entered the offseason looking to add a young developmental center after Ariel Hukporti<\/a> departed for the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> in free agency.<\/p>\n According to NBA insider Jake Fischer<\/a>, New York first explored trades for Pelicans<\/a> center Yves Missi<\/a> and Hornets<\/a> big man Moussa Diabate<\/a> before pivoting to Ciss\u00e9 in restricted free agency.<\/p>\n None of those pursuits has yielded a new addition.<\/p>\n Dallas\u2019 decision to match the offer sheet suggests the Mavericks value Ciss\u00e9 enough to keep him.<\/p>\n Still, with roster decisions remaining before opening night, the Knicks\u2019 chances have shifted from plausible to remote\u2014not impossible.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAlder Almo<\/a> is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Ciss\u00e9 hangs on the rim after a dunk during an NBA game. Dallas…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378963,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[102,104,103],"class_list":["post-378962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378962\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Dallas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2245759476-e1784397742156.jpg\")
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