Trade Review: How Far Can Luka Doncic's Mavs Go with P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford?

The Dallas Mavericks made two significant frontcourt upgrades on Thursday by executing two trades for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. Does Luka Doncic have enough to compete for a championship? Let's talk about it.

Dalton Trigg | Feb 9, 2024

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Dallas Mavericks

Heads are still spinning after the Dallas Mavericks pulled off two big trades ahead of Thursday's deadline to bring in P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford to fortify their frontcourt around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

"We had three goals coming in here," Mavs GM Nico Harrison said. "We wanted to get bigger, we wanted to add to our depth in the front court and then also get some scoring punch. So those were our three goals, and we feel like they're here to accomplish those."

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There's no doubt that the Mavs got bigger, more athletic and more talented than they were 24 hours ago, but do these moves make them true title contenders? Do the Mavs have enough time to build chemistry with their new pieces with just 30 games remaining in the regular season?

On today's episode of the Mavs Step Back Podcast, we take a deep dive into the roster moves Dallas made on Thursday. After years of having holes at the center position, the Mavs finally have a complete center rotation with Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Head coach Jason Kidd wanted more size, and now he’s got it. There are no more excuses: it’s time to go win games.

Spencer Dinwiddie Expected to Sign with Mavs or Lakers Following Trade Deadline Buyout

"They are two different players, but with their size, they can help us," Doncic said of his new teammates. "P.J. [Washington] can shoot, block shots, and play defense, while Daniel [Gafford] can also block shots and protect us in the paint. I think those two are really going to help us.”

In addition to all the post-trade deadline discussion, the guys also recap the Mavs’ 122-108 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, pushing their win streak to three games with the Oklahoma City Thunder next on the schedule. Also, is Spencer Dinwiddie about to make his return to the Mavs for a second stint? Given that he was chatting with Mark Cuban at MSG on Thursday, it certainly seems likely.

You can watch/listen to the entire episode below, and be sure to leave your takes in the comment section on YouTube!

Published Feb 9, 2024

DALTON TRIGG

Dalton Trigg is the Editor-In-Chief for Dallas Basketball, as well as the Executive Editor overseeing Inside The Rockets, Inside The Spurs, All Knicks, and The Magic Insider. He is the founder and host for the Mavs Step Back Podcast, which is a proud part of the Blue Wire podcast network. Trigg graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business and Economic Development with a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship in 2016. After spending a few years with multiple Dallas Mavericks-related blogs, including SB Nation’s Mavs Moneyball, Trigg joined DallasBasketball.com as a staff writer in 2018 and never looked back. At the start of 2022, he was promoted to the EIC title he holds now. Through the years, Trigg has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, Mavs GM Nico Harrison, now-retired legend Dirk Nowitzki and many other current/former players and team staffers. Many of those interviews and other articles by Trigg have been aggregated by other well-known sports media websites, such as Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and others. You can find Trigg on all major social media channels, but his most prevalent platform is on Twitter. Whether it’s posting links to his DBcom work, live-tweeting Mavs games or merely giving his opinions on things going on with Dallas and the rest of the NBA, the daily content never stops rolling. For any inquiries, please email Dalton@MavsStepBack.com.