Since February 1, when the Dallas Mavericks transferred Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, things in Mavsland have changed. While obtaining the No. 1 pick and winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes has helped alleviate some of the grief that came with dealing Doncic, it has not gone away entirely, and it is unlikely to do so anytime soon, regardless of how well Flagg performs in his rookie season.
With Flagg into the mix, Dallas may be forced to move one of their fan-favorite frontcourt players before the season even begins, with Daniel Gafford a strong candidate to be shipped off.
Gafford was the subject of trade speculations this season, and with Flagg on the team, he could be the odd man out.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report recently predicted that the Lakers will explore a trade for Gafford this offseason, and given how desperately they need big man depth, Gafford would be an excellent choice. Doncic and Gafford formed a particular bond as teammates in Dallas, where they connected for numerous alley-oop slams and were part of the starting five throughout their 2024 run to the NBA Finals.
Daniel Gafford expected to rejoin Luka Doncic in Los Angeles.
They were so close that Gafford is considering playing for Team Slovenia with Doncic one day, and their connection was incredible. From the time Gafford stepped on the court in his first game as a Maverick, it was evident that he and Doncic would be difficult to stop when they clicked.
Now that Doncic is without a great rim-rolling big in Los Angeles, Rob Pelinka may want to contact Nico Harrison to see if he is willing to part with Gafford. He is due for an extension this summer, and if Harrison doesn’t intend to extend him,
Los Angeles may be the ideal location for him to take the next step in his career.
Gafford has appeared to be a viable trade option for the Lakers for several weeks, but Harrison making another move with the team to which he traded Doncic may result in a massive backlash. Harrison didn’t hear the end of the Doncic deal for months because he heard “fire Nico” chants at practically every home game after the trade, with the most bizarre aspect of this story being that the cheers for Doncic and the Lakers were stronger than those for the Mavs during Doncic’s homecoming game.
Mavericks supporters wanted to see a player from the opposing club win more than the home team in Doncic’s 45-point thrashing of the Mavs on his return to the American Airlines Center, as they felt their franchise star had been taken from them in broad daylight. While Gafford is not the global superstar that Doncic was, he has established a connection with Mavs fans since his arrival, and sending him to Los Angeles to play with Doncic again would be a risky move by Harrison and the front office.
Regardless of the return package that the Mavs would receive from the Lakers in a prospective Gafford trade, fans’ minds would quickly revert to the Doncic trade.
The Doncic trade will be remembered for the pain it caused, even if the Mavs win with Kyrie Irving, Davis, and Flagg leading the way, and the prospective Gafford trade could result in more of the same.
On top of the recent history between the Mavericks and Lakers, Gafford has become a fan favorite in the last year or so due to his endless energy, thunderous slams, and rim protection, and fans would find it difficult to see another fan-favorite player traded to Los Angeles, even if it was the right move.
The Mavericks’ stance on Gafford’s future with the franchise is sure to become clearer after drafting Flagg, and we’ll keep you updated.
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