In the aftermath of an underwhelming playoff run, the Los Angeles Lakers are determined to improve by any means necessary. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, one trade target this summer is Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford, who is entering the final year of his contract.
“The Mavericks quietly sniffed around about the value of Danial Gafford before this last deadline, and it would make sense for them to do that again this summer,” said MacMahon on the Hoop Collective. “Dereck Lively is a year away from getting an extension, Daniel Gafford is entering the final year of his contract. Gafford is reasonably going to want to get paid starting center money, and you can’t have AD on a max, Lively on a big contract, and play Gafford starting center money. Luka’s obviously got chemistry with Gafford, but I don’t know if Nico wants to have another chit chat with Rob Pelinka so soon. I can put something together that would be intriguing for the Mavericks: Rui and the pick they have to give up, and a swap or two.”
The Luka Doncic trade gave the Lakers a leader for the next 10+ years, and now they can dedicate their efforts to building a proper team around him. The cost for Doncic was not cheap, however, and the Lakers lost most of their frontcourt depth just to pull it off.
Without Anthony Davis as the defensive anchor, the Lakers were left without a starting-caliber big man, and they felt it throughout the entire season. With Jaxson Hayes given the starting center role, he initially thrived next to Luka and LeBron, but his effectiveness tapered off down the stretch, and the team had to adjust on the fly.
During the playoffs, Hayes was unplayable for the Lakers, and by the end of the series, he was almost out of JJ Redick’s rotation entirely. Without the proper size and strength to challenge Minnesota under the rim, the Lakers lost in the first round and barely put up a fight in five games.
Going into the 2025 offseason, the main priority for the Lakers is filling out the rotation with the proper size and skill at power forward and center. With enough depth at those positions, everything becomes easier for the Lakers, and they’ll have much better odds trying to challenge the NBA’s elite frontcourts.
With another two years and $28 million on his contract, Gafford’s fate is in the hands of the Mavericks, but might Nico Harrison consider more negotiations with Rob Pelinka? By giving up Rui Hachimura or a guy like Dalton Knecht, the Lakers could build a lucrative trade offer and acquire a starting center without giving up one of their main core players.
As an added bonus, Gafford already has experience playing with Doncic, and their chemistry from the Mavericks would almost certainly carry over to Los Angeles. Overall, it’s an ideal scenario for the Lakers that would solve one of their biggest areas of need right now. In 36 games last season, he averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 70.2% shooting.
The question is, would the Mavericks consider dealing with the Lakers soon after the Luka trade? If so, it could be the move that puts the Lakers over the top and finally helps them realize their ambitions as championship contenders in the West.
