PORTLAND, Ore. — An hour before the Mavericks departed for Portland on Wednesday afternoon, the news they feared became reality.

Starting center Dwight Powell did in fact rupture his right Achilles tendon Tuesday night against the Clippers. The Mavericks stated in a news release that Powell is weighing his surgical options, but his season is over.

The Mavericks’ season, contrary to widely expressed pessimism on social media, is far from done. They are 27-16. They are fifth in the Western Conference.

They have 20-year-old sensation Luka Doncic, who is expected to be named Thursday night as an All-Star starter — “unless something crazy happens,” coach Rick Carlisle says — and Doncic equals hope.

Granted, the Mavericks have exceeded expectations and they’re still on course to end their three-season playoff drought, but if you think owner Mark Cuban, president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and Carlisle are of the mind to declare this season a success and regroup this summer, you haven’t closely followed this franchise.

Dallas has made at least one acquisition before each of the last three trade deadlines. A source told The News that the Mavericks were strongly weighing potential trades before Powell’s injury. Now it’s imperative that Dallas add a big man before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, two weeks from Thursday.

“I’m sure we’ll look at everything,” Carlisle said. “If you’re asking personnel/roster acquisition questions, I don’t get into those for the most part.

“But in terms of the lineup and everything else, there’s a lot of things we’ve got to keep on the table as possibilities. So we’ll see.”

Of the 15 Mavericks who have comprised the active roster for most of the season, only four are prototype centers and/or power forwards.

Of those four, only Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic remain to rotate at the power positions and, potentially divvy 28-year-old Powell’s 26.5 minutes per game.

Dorian Finney-Smith has played 34% of his minutes this season at power forward, but he is 6-7, 220 and it’s not ideal to match him defensively against the NBA’s brute forces.

Mavericks management gambled by entering the season with only four so-called big men, preferring to stock the roster with playmakers and wings. That blueprint has paid off with a historic offensive rating, an adequate defensive rating (16th in the league) and better-than-most-expected rebounding (6th in the NBA).

But as Porzingis’ recent injury absence, because of a sore right knee, stretched to 10 games, Mavericks management realized that if he were to have additional absences, the team might need backup help.

With Powell gone and Porzingis — though back as of Tuesday night — iffy in that he has missed 11 of 43 games, the Mavericks at the least need to fortify their frontline.

While Detroit’s Andre Drummond seems to be atop fans’ wish list, team sources continue to emphasize — before and since Powell’s injury — that Drummond is not a fit, tactically or financially ($27 million this season).

The Mavericks could look to the G-League over overseas for backup help. ESPN reported Wednesday that the Mavericks inquired about Joakim Noah, but knee issues limited him to 42 games with Memphis last season and he hasn’t played since last March 23.

Potential trade targets include Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson and New York’s Marcus Morris, but a Mavericks source said management is adamantly against any scenario that would require giving up one of their young core players, such as Jalen Brunson or Justin Jackson.

In the short term, Kleber most likely will move into the starting lineup. And Porzingis will see an increase in playing time at center. That was the case after Powell’s injury Tuesday night against the Clippers, when Porzingis started the second half at center and J.J. Barea started at guard, sliding Tim Hardaway Jr. to small forward and Finney-Smith to power forward.

“The bind you get in is with rebounding,” Carlisle said. “That was obvious in the second half. We were really up against it on the boards.

“You take a little bit here and you give a little bit there. We’ve just got to find a sweet spot with the guys that we have and find a balance.”

However the Mavericks attempt to fill Powell’s void, it isn’t just a matter of replacing his 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. He’s an elite screener and rim-runner and a highly efficient pick-and-roll partner with Doncic.

Of the five Mavericks lineups that have produced the highest offensive ratings this season, Powell was on four of them.

“I mean, it’s tough” Doncic said. “Nobody wants to get injured. It’s tough, especially a guy like Dwight who works [so hard].”

The Mavericks on Thursday night begin a three-game, six-day road trip — and life without Powell, against an injury and trade-depleted Portland team.

How will Dallas replace Powell? Finney-Smith probably gave the most honest answer of anyone.

“I don’t know. What he brings to the table defensively or offensively ... next man up. DP is one of those energy guys. Never stops fighting. We’re going to miss him out there, but guys have just got to step up.”

Twitter: @Townbrad