Dallas Basketball

Dallas Mavericks could look to trade $40 million center this offseason

The Dallas Mavericks could say goodbye to Daniel Gafford with a trade this offseason.

Jeremy Brener

Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) and forward Anthony Davis (3) celebrate after Davis dunks the ball against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) and forward Anthony Davis (3) celebrate after Davis dunks the ball against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
In this story:

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford finds himself in a strange position.

Gafford, 26, is a talented player, but Dallas is more likely to move forward with Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II in the frontcourt beyond the season.

That's part of the reason why Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale named Gafford as a potential trade chip for the Mavs this offseason.

READ MORE: Anthony Davis catches heat from Mavericks fans after golfing during injury recovery

Daniel Gaffor
Feb 6, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) warms up before the start of the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Gafford on the go?

"Gafford wins out as the second-most intriguing salary-matcher in any possible bigger swing. His $14.4 million comes off the ledger after next season, and the Mavs, in this scenario, will likely believe they can dredge up a cheaper second-string 5 behind Dereck Lively II," Favale writes.

The Mavs might not have much room for Gafford if Davis is going to be part of the team moving forward. It may be in Dallas' best interest to move Gafford to get a point guard since Kyrie Irving will be out for a good chunk, if not all, of next season.

READ MORE: Former Mavericks player sends message after career performance

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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