Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford recently returned from injury in the team's 124-105 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. Gafford has been dealing with persistent ankle injuries throughout the season, missing several games. In his return to the lineup for the Mavericks, he played 20 minutes, scoring 14 points and nabbing five rebounds.
The performance showcased Gafford’s talent in the frontcourt, which led to increased speculation of his availability during the trade deadline. Whether Gafford stays with the Mavericks—recently receiving an three year, $54 million extension this offseason—remains to be seen. He spoke about the mental toll that injuries have provided him.
“Kind of like a bit of a wear and tear on the brain when it comes to just trying to figure out ways to play around it. Of course there is pain, but, like I said, we got a job on a night to night basis. And, just trying to play through that is just…it is going to help me in the long run, I would say, because now it's just kind of like the first time that I've kind of dealt with like a injury that's kinda like prolonged throughout the season.”
Gafford added, “So I'm learning a lot of stuff where it's just, you know, taking care of my body more, being consistent with trying to find ways to be ready for. The next game coming up.”
Despite a brilliant rookie campaign from Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks sit at 21-38. They're the 12th seed in the Western Conference, two spots away from a Play-In berth. Recently, the Mavericks made significant moves, trading D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in what can be signaled as a reset for the organization around their new star.
The 27-year-old Gafford factors into that future. He's currently averaging 8.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on a 63.2% field goal percentage. He could remain with Dallas as a consistent option at the center spot, or his tradable contract could be moved to add more depth to the team around Flagg. But Gafford's availability certainly adds to the winning efficacy of the Mavericks.
The Mavericks return to action on Sunday, hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game tips off at 8:00 p.m.
