The Los Angeles Lakers want to compete for championships and could answer their questions at the five by trading for Daniel Gafford. Luka Doncic always wants a big man on the floor with him and has had success playing with Gafford. Deandre Ayton has exceeded expectations, but the Lakers don’t know if it will translate to the playoffs. Gafford has had success on the biggest stages and could be a seamless fit.
The Mavericks are off to a terrible start and have already fired their general manager. Los Angeles fans still can’t believe Dallas gifted them Luka. To make matters worse, the Mavs are out of the Play-In Tournament and looking to sell. Jake Fischer thinks Gafford is their most likely player to be moved, and the Lakers would certainly be interested.
Rich Paul is skeptical of LA’s title chances, and the Lakers are motivated to buy before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Gafford was the Mavs' starting center during their 2024 NBA Finals run and would love catching lobs from Luka again.
The Lakers can now trade for Daniel Gafford
The Mavericks aren’t going anywhere. They could sneak their way into the Play-In Tournament, but would need to win two consecutive games to book a first-round playoff matchup against the Thunder. There is no way Oklahoma City is losing to Dallas, even if Kyrie Irving returns to the peak of his powers.
That cold, hard truth is precisely why the Mavs are preparing to be sellers. Anthony Davis is already on the trade block, and Dallas is ready to listen on multiple veterans.
Gafford’s production is down this season, but the lack of a true point guard on the Mavericks hasn’t helped. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game after being traded to Dallas at the 2024 deadline. His production dipped slightly in the playoffs, but he was a starter in all 22 postseason games during their run to the NBA Finals.
Having Gafford to split the center minutes with Ayton would give Los Angeles all 48 with quality production at the position. Luka would always have his lob threat, and the star trio would have a stout backline defender to prop them up at every moment. The Lakers desperately need a 3-and-D wing, but a center boost would also improve their title odds.
Gafford admitted to being “star-struck” playing with Luka in Dallas. He would welcome a chance to do it again in Los Angeles.
Trades can happen at any moment. Teams often wait until after Dec. 15 to have more options available, but talks are already heating up. The Mavericks are looking to sell, and opposing teams should act quickly. This deal would likely cost the Lakers their lone tradeable first-round draft pick, but it could be the move that vaults them on a deep playoff run.
The Los Angeles Lakers have difficult decisions to make before the trade deadline. They want to maximize their title odds, but have limited assets to deal. Stay tuned to see what Rob Pelinka and the front office can make happen. It wouldn’t be the first time Pelinka did the impossible.