DALLAS — Moussa Cissé did not practice Thursday, a day after tweaking his left ankle in the Dallas Mavericks’ 101-97 preseason loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Mavericks coach Dusty May called it a slightly tweaked ankle. Cissé would have been able to play if Dallas had a game Thursday, May said, but the Mavericks will not risk a further injury in an exhibition.
“He didn’t practice today. Just a slightly tweaked ankle. I think if we had a game today, he would have been able to play,” May said. “I’m sure, though, if it’s the second day, they’ll check swelling. Especially with the exhibition games, we’re not going to put a guy out that they could risk further injury, because it’s such a long season.”
Moussa Cissé’s Start Against New Orleans
Cissé started at center Wednesday and had 8 points on 3-of-6 shooting, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 16:29 before the injury. Four of his rebounds came on the offensive glass, and he made both of his free throws.
He did not return in the second half.
Right after Wednesday’s game, before anyone had looked at the ankle a second time, May already had no plans to push it.
“They said he tweaked an ankle, and I don’t think in preseason there’s any reason to push it,” May said Wednesday night.
Cissé played college basketball at Memphis, Oklahoma State, and Ole Miss before going undrafted in 2025. The Mavericks signed him to a two-way contract, and he appeared in 38 games for them as a rookie.
Last season, Cissé averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 13.9 minutes per game. He shot 57.4% from the field and pulled down 2.3 offensive rebounds a game.
The New York Knicks signed Cissé to a two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet in July, and Dallas matched it.
Mavericks’ Center Depth Remains Thin
Cissé was already filling in at center.
Daniel Gafford sat Wednesday with a right shoulder stinger, and Dereck Lively II has not played since Nov. 21, 2025, after two surgeries on his right foot.
Morez Johnson Jr., who started at center in the preseason opener, missed Wednesday with right shin splints. May said Thursday that he is really close.
Dwight Powell did not play Wednesday by coach’s decision.
With Cissé out, the Mavericks finished the game with rookie Tobi Lawal and 6-foot-11 forward Jorge Diaz-Graham taking the minutes inside.
Diaz-Graham had been through one practice with the Mavericks. May was proud of how hard he played anyway.
“And I’m very proud of Jorge. He had one practice under his belt and came in and played with great physicality,” May said Thursday. “And that’s also our goal in games like that, of playing to our identity no matter who sets foot on the floor, whether it’s our best player or 15th person.”
The Mavericks close the preseason against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday at American Airlines Center, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT.
Dallas opens the regular season Oct. 21 at the Houston Rockets, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
