Mavericks Reportedly Not Interested In Trading Daniel Gafford

The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly not listening to trade offers for veteran center Daniel Gafford, who signed a three-year, $54 million contract extension in the offseason, per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Mavericks Want To Keep Daniel Gafford Amid Frontcourt Injuries

According to Stein, the Mavericks have been reluctant to consider trading Gafford due to the lingering health issues of third-year center Dereck Lively II.

Lively has played just three games this season due to a knee sprain that has him listed as doubtful for Monday’s home game against the Milwaukee Bucks, and he was limited to 36 games last season.

Last month, the Mavs exercised their fourth-year option on Lively’s rookie-scale contract, locking in his $7.23 million salary for the 2026-27 season.

This means Lively is on track to become eligible for a rookie-scale extension next summer.

Daniel Gafford on “holding down the fort” for Mavs’ bigs. pic.twitter.com/wGYffz6Tov

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) November 7, 2025

However, the Mavericks are just 3-7 to start the season despite having a relatively easy schedule. A below-.500 record could lead the front office to make drastic changes before the trade deadline.

As Stein notes, the Mavs only control one of their own first-rounders through 2030, and that selection will come in 2026 in what’s viewed as a strong draft class.

Daniel Gafford Averaged Career-High Numbers Last Season

Gafford has dealt with a right ankle sprain himself this fall, making five appearances thus far in 2025-26.

In 57 games (31 starts) with the Mavericks last season, Gafford averaged a career-high 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 21.5 minutes per contest while shooting 70.2% from the field and 68.9% from the foul line.

Per Basketball Reference, Gafford also averaged a career-high usage rate of 19.5%. He finished 10th in blocks (102) and third in offensive rating (137.4) as well.

Gafford’s 71% career field goal percentage is the best in the NBA since he entered the league in 2019-2020 (based on a minimum of 1,000 field goal attempts), per Second Spectrum.

Although Dallas might not be willing to move Gafford so early in the season, Stein referred to the 6-foot-10 big man as one of the team’s “most attractive trade candidates.”

If the losing continues, the Mavericks could potentially make a move out of sheer desperation.