Daniel Gafford is back in trade talks because the Mavericks are no longer in the same place. This is a new front office, a new timeline, and probably a new roster plan. Masai Ujiri is now running the team, Mike Schmitz is the new GM, Jason Kidd is gone, and Cooper Flagg is clearly the center of the future.
That makes Gafford a simple name to watch. He is a good center, but he is also 28 next season, on a three-year, $54.4 million extension, and playing the same position as Dereck Lively II. If the Mavericks trust Lively’s health and want more flexibility around Flagg, Gafford becomes one of the easiest veterans to move.
Gafford’s future looks more uncertain now. Mavs Moneyball wrote that trade rumors are still around him, and several veterans could be heading out of the franchise in the offseason. The likes of PJ Washington, Klay Thompson, and Naji Marshall have also been connected to shopping talks.
Gafford should have a market because his role is easy. He doesn’t need touches. He runs the floor, finishes lobs, protects the rim, rebounds, and gives a team real size. For teams that need a center but don’t want to pay star prices, he is one of the best trade names this summer.
4. Toronto Raptors
Potential Trade Offer: Jakob Poeltl, 2028 first-round pick (top-18 protected)
The Raptors are not a rebuilding team anymore. They finished 46-36 and fifth in the East, but the center spot still has some risk. Jakob Poeltl is good, but his back issue was a real problem during the season. For a team trying to win playoff rounds, that matters.
Poeltl averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks. He shot 70.0% from the field, so the production is still useful. The problem is not only talent. It is health, age, salary, and whether the Raptors want a different type of center next to Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram.
Gafford fits better with their pace as a rim-running center. He averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks in only 21.7 minutes. He shot 65.5% from the field. That is simple production. He doesn’t need touches. He finishes lobs, blocks shots, rebounds, and runs the floor.
The salary also works. Poeltl is at $19.5 million, while Gafford is at $17.3 million in 2026-27. The money side matches. The pick is the real reason for the Mavs. They don’t need to trade Gafford for another center unless they get draft value.
For the Raptors, this is about getting younger, more athletic, and less dependent on Poeltl’s back. For the Mavericks, this is about getting a first-round pick while keeping a playable veteran big. It is not a flashy trade, but it makes basketball sense.
3. Golden State Warriors
Potential Trade Offer: Moses Moody, Gui Santos, 2030 first-round pick (top-12 protected)
The Warriors need a real center, but this offer is not as good as it looks. Moses Moody is talented, but his injury changes the value. He suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon and is out for the season. That is a major injury. For that reason, the Mavericks would need a first-round pick attached.
Before the injury, Moody had value. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 44.0% from the field. He also shot 40.1% from three, so the shooting would fit next to Flagg. But the Mavericks can’t treat him like a healthy 23-year-old wing right now.
Gui Santos helps the offer because he is healthy, cheap, and useful. He averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 20.5 minutes. He shot 50.0% from the field and 35.1% from three. He is not a star, but he gives the Mavericks a young forward who can play rotation minutes and doesn’t need high usage.
Gafford fits the Warriors’ need more than both players. He averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks on 65.5% shooting. The Warriors need that kind of center next to Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. They need rim pressure, lob finishing, and shot blocking. Gafford gives them all three.
The money can work with Moody and Santos. Moody makes $12.5 million next season, and Santos is at $4.6 million. That gets close to Gafford’s salary range.
For the Mavericks, the first-round pick is the key. Moody is hurt, Santos is more of a rotation forward, and Gafford is a real center. Without the pick, this offer is too light. With the pick, it becomes a serious package.
2. Boston Celtics
Potential Trade Offer: Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, 2030 first-round pick (top-10 protected)
The Celtics don’t need Gafford because they lack a center. Neemias Queta already gave them strong production in that role. He averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.3% from the field.
The argument for Gafford is depth and flexibility. Queta should remain part of the plan, but the Celtics can still use another physical center who can protect the rim, finish lobs, and handle regular playoff minutes. A team trying to win the East needs more than one reliable center option.
The salary structure is workable. Gafford is at $17.3 million in 2026-27. Hauser is at $10.8 million, Walsh is at $2.4 million, and Scheierman is at $2.7 million. That puts the framework close enough for a realistic deal.
Hauser would be the main player going to the Mavericks. He averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 39.3% from three on 6.5 attempts. His shooting would fit well next to Flagg and Lively.
Walsh gives the Mavericks a younger defensive wing. He averaged 5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks while shooting 38.4% from three. Scheierman adds another low-cost wing after averaging 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 39.9% from three.
The first-round pick is the important part. The Mavericks shouldn’t move Gafford only for depth pieces. With the pick included, they get shooting, cheap wing depth, and another asset around Flagg. For the Celtics, this is a win-now move that adds a tested center to handle the playoff pressure.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Potential Trade Offer: Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, No. 25 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft
The Lakers are the best Gafford destination because the need is very high. They should be targeting another center who can play next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Gafford already played with Doncic, so the fit is easier to understand.
The salary match is close. Gafford is at $17.3 million in 2026-27. Vanderbilt is at $12.4 million, and Knecht is at $4.2 million. That gets the structure close enough without adding a larger contract.
Vanderbilt averaged 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 steals while shooting 47.1% from the field. His value is defense, size, rebounding, and activity. The issue is spacing. He doesn’t solve the Mavericks’ shooting need, so he is more salary and defensive depth than a main trade piece.
Knecht is the younger asset. His second season was poor, still. He averaged 4.6 points on 44.4% from the field and 31.3% from three in 41 games. That hurts his value. But he still gives the Mavericks a cheap shooting bet next to Irving in the backcourt. That matters if the Mavericks want more floor spacing.
The No. 25 pick is the key part. Without the pick, the package is not enough. Vanderbilt has offensive limits, and Knecht is coming off a down season. The pick gives the Mavericks a real asset and makes the offer more serious.
For the Lakers, this is a win-now move. Doncic gets a lob center and more interior help. The roster gets more size without adding a high-usage player. Gafford doesn’t need touches, and that is the best part.
