Inside The Wizards

Wizards Made Right Move Trading Daniel Gafford

The Washington Wizards dealt Daniel Gafford to the Dallas Mavericks, and they're being praised for the trade.

Jeremy Brener

Feb 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) grabs his elbow after he collides with Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Feb 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) grabs his elbow after he collides with Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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It's been 11 months since the Washington Wizards traded center Daniel Gafford to the Dallas Mavericks for Richaun Holmes and a couple of draft picks, further laying the foundation for a rebuild.

The move certainly worked for the Mavs as they reached the NBA Finals last season, but how did things pan out for the Wizards?

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes believes that the deal was a success for the Wizards as well, giving them an "A-" in his re-grade.

"Washington landed a first-rounder, albeit a late one, for a backup center that had no place in its rebuild. Richaun Holmes is still on the books for $13.3 million in 2025-26, but that's a pretty close figure to Gafford's $14.4 million," Hughes writes.

"The first-rounder coming in from Dallas (via OKC) ultimately turned into Kyshawn George after a draft-day trade involving the Knicks and Thunder. George, a hard-playing combo forward with defensive potential, is currently ranked among the top 10 in his rookie class in total minutes, made threes and assists," he continued.

George certainly has a bright future in D.C., making the trade worth it for the Wizards.

So far this season, George is averaging just over seven points and four rebounds per game, but those numbers should be going up as he grows more comfortable in the NBA.

The overall success of the deal will be dependent on how well George does during his tenure with the Wizards, but there is a lot of optimism surrounding the rookie forward out of Miami.

George and the Wizards will return to the court tomorrow night as they take on the Chicago Bulls in the Windy City. Tipoff from inside the United Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The game can be watched locally on Monumental Sports Network or streamed on NBA League Pass.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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