Mavericks have someone they need to cut, here's why they haven't

The Dallas Mavericks are still hoping to trade one of their injured players.

Dec 27, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd during a time out against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks won't have Dante Exum at all this year. The 30-year-old Australian guard had a knee procedure during the offseason, but there were some complications that stemmed from it, resulting in a second surgery being needed, which knocked him out for the season. He had his surgery in mid-December.

Dallas has also had undrafted free agent rookie Ryan Nembhard emerge as a legitimate rotation player, but he's on a two-way contract. Since the Mavs waived Olivier-Maxence Prosper to sign Exum to be the 15th man, they'd have to cut him to make room for Nembhard. So why haven't they?

︀︀“The Mavericks, league sources say, are not rushing to waive injured guard Dante Exum to create the needed roster room to convert two-way guard Ryan Nembhard to a standard NBA contract in the event that a trade materializes that necessitates the inclusion of Exum's $3.3 million contract," NBA insider Marc Stein revealed in his latest Substack.

According to ESPN, Spotrac, and Basketball-Reference, Exum is making $2.3 million, not $3.3 million, but Stein and HoopsHype have him at that $3.3 million mark. It doesn't make a huge difference either way, since he's on a minimum contract, but that million could be the difference in facilitating a trade or not.

With the current salary rules and tax aprons, some trades have to match nearly exactly to be acceptable. A lot of teams are dealing with tax rules, and very teams have any space to take on additional salary.

Ideally, the Mavericks could send Exum and another salary out in a trade in return for only one player so they can sign Nembhard, but realistically, Exum could be sent to a team like the Brooklyn Nets just to be waived.

Sep 29, 2025; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) poses for a photo during the Mavericks 2025 media day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

READ MORE: Boston Celtics latest to show interest in Dallas Mavericks trade target

The Mavericks Will Get Salary Relief From Dante Exum One Way Or Another

The Dallas Mavericks may or may not trade/waive Dante Exum this season, but they have received some help already from the NBA, in part because of Exum's injury.

Dallas applied for, and was granted, disabled player exceptions for both Exum and Dereck Lively II, who will be out for the rest of the season after having surgery on his right foot. The exceptions will add up to about $3.7 million, but they can't use he exceptions to go above the 15-man roster limit, and they still can't go above the second tax apron, but it at least gives them a little more flexibility.

READ MORE: NBA official reveals reason for Jason Kidd's ejection in Mavericks-Bulls

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