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As the Dallas Mavericks are locked with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, general manager Nico Harrison and the team also have an interesting offseason ahead of them in regards to improving their roster through trades. While it seems inevitable that Cooper Flagg will be on the Mavericks, the latest report shows the other lateral moves the team is thinking about.
In the latest column by Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, he spoke about the various contract intricacies that Dallas is dealing with, such as Kyrie Irving having a $43 million player option for next season. However, another player he speaks about being a “trade candidate to monitor” is center Daniel Gafford.
“Looking ahead, Dallas is awaiting Irving’s decision on his nearly $43 million player option for the 2025-26 season,” Scotto wrote. “PJ Washington ($14.15 million) and Daniel Gafford ($14.39 million) are entering the final season of their contracts. Washington and Gafford are extension-eligible. Dwight Powell has a $4 million player option.”
“Gafford is a trade candidate to monitor should he not agree to an extension with Dallas,” Scotto continued. “The 26-year-old center will want a pay raise, the Mavericks already have Davis on a max contract, and 21-year-old center Dereck Lively is a year away from being extension-eligible.”
A lock for the Mavericks to keep No. 1 pick and draft Cooper Flagg?
While there has been speculation about whether the Mavericks should trade the No. 1 overall pick for major leverage in acquiring another huge star, it now seems far away that the team shockingly traded Luka Doncic before the deadline. Nico Harrison was at the crosshairs of many critics for that trade, some calling it maybe the worst in NBA history, and with the amount of injuries this season to Irving and Anthony Davis, it seemed as if the team was in purgatory.
How quickly the tides have changed as Dallas now has many options in regards to what they can do, especially with that No. 1 pick. With Giannis Antetokounmpo being at the center of trade rumors, one could think the Mavs could use that pick to their advantage, but Scotto speaks on that not happening.
“For the second time in six years, a team that traded a star to the Lakers got the No. 1 pick in the same year,” Scotto wrote.
“Previously, the New Orleans Pelicans traded Anthony Davis to the Lakers and landed the No. 1 pick to select Zion Williamson in 2019. Now, after trading Doncic to the Lakers, the Mavericks land the No. 1 pick to select Cooper Flagg, potentially. The WNBA’s Dallas Wings also landed the No. 1 pick and selected Paige Bueckers a month ago.”
“Conversely, Dallas could dangle the No. 1 pick and try to trade for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo if he decides a change of scenery is needed while the Mavericks are in a win-now mode,” Scotto continued. “However, ESPN has shot down that scenario thus far.”
It remains to be seen the pathway Dallas takes, but it's no doubt an intriguing situation.
