The Mavericks matched the Knicks' offer to retain young center Cissé.

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Dallas Mavericks officially matched the New York Knicks' two-year, $4.7 million offer for restricted free agent Moussa Cisse on Saturday, successfully retaining the young center on the team.

The 6-foot-11 (approximately 2.11 meters) center had just reached an agreement with the Knicks and signed a offer letter earlier on Saturday, but the Mavericks quickly decided to match the offer before the 48-hour deadline.

According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, with the offer successfully matched, Cissé cannot be traded by any team for the next year without his consent, and he also cannot be traded to the Knicks during this period.

The 23-year-old Cissé, from the University of Memphis, went undrafted in last summer's NBA draft. He then signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks and earned a place in the regular season rotation based on his performance.

This offseason, the Mavericks made a qualifying offer to Cissé, making him a restricted free agent. Last season, Cissé efficiently contributed 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in less than 14 minutes of playing time per game, showcasing excellent defensive potential.

After losing their starting center Mitchell Robinson in free agency, the Knicks had hoped to bolster their interior defense by signing Cissé, but the Mavericks' decisive matchup thwarted their plans.

Image source: Internet/NBA official website