Why The Mavericks Must Bring Back Moussa Cisse

When Mousa Cisse was signed as a two-way player before the season, no one had any expectations for the rookie big-man.

But Cisse was a pleasant surprise all season, as his energy and rim protection were felt anytime he stepped on the court. But with the Mavs frontcourt being so crowed, should the Mavericks bring him back next year?

Well, they should, and it would be malpractice not to.

Season review

Cisse began the season as an afterthought, but as the Mavericks big-men suffered repeated injuries, it forced Cisse into the spotlight.

He would receive inconsistent minutes for most of the first few month, with some games where he wouldn’t see the floor at all. But his minutes were always impactful, the relentless effort on the glass, and eye-popping athleticism always showing up.

But then he stopped playing, all because of a decision the Mavericks made.

After the trade deadline, the Mavericks had the option to convert one two-way player, and chose Ryan Nembhard over Cisse. This led to Cisse brushing up to the two-way limit for games, meaning he played only 8 games post trade deadline.

Despite the weird end, Cisse thrived when his number was called. While the box-score numbers don’t jump off the page, the underlying metrics suggest that Cisse may have real rotation potential.

One number that highlights this is his RAPM (Regularized adjusted plus-minus).

Cisse posted a +0.8 RAPM, which is in the 70th percentile across the league, all per Databallr.

But my favorite part of Cisse’s game is his offensive rebounding, with a 16.2% OREB rate, which is 96th percentile. With extra possessions becoming so much more important in recent years, Cisse projects as one of the true elite offensive rebounders in the NBA.

Best game

My choice for Cisse’s best game is easily his performance on Jan. 19 against the New York Knicks.

Cisse scored 15 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots, all leading to a Mavericks win. This game specifically showed off his offensive rebounding, as he grabbed 4 offensive rebounds against a Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson front-court.

Contract status

Since the Mavericks did not convert Cisse at the deadline he will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Mavericks can match any offer he receives.

The Mavericks can offer Cisse up to a 4 year deal, most likely at around the league minimum, or just above.

Looking towards the future

Moussa Cisse is not yet a true rotation player, with his rawness offensively holding him back.

He often chases blocks on the defensive end and racks up fouls at a very high rate. But these are things that can be ironed out, with his strengths being very important in the NBA.

Cisse’s is somewhat similar to players like Neeimas Queta and Moussa Diabete, who are both high energy big men who dominate the offensive glass. Cisse slots in perfectly as a third center within a rotation; not relied upon to close, but able to give a team solid minutes throughout the season. And if he takes a large leap offensively, he could even become a true starting quality center.

Grade: B+

Moussa Cisse was able to showcase real potential this season, and with his strengths becoming sought after league wide, the Mavericks should bring him back.

Cisse should be cheap, with him being able to fill in Dwight Powell’s role if he decides to retire.

No matter the future, it was fun to watch a young player like Cisse find a role in the NBA.