Mavericks have already found Daniel Gafford's replacement before even trading him

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford has been in some early trade rumors this season, and if Dallas does trade him, they have the perfect player to replace him already on their roster in Moussa Cisse.

It's time for the Mavericks to pivot to focus on the Cooper Flagg era, and if Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley don't believe that Gafford is a long-term fit in Dallas, they could decide to move him and try to capitalize on his value. It was obvious right after he signed his contract extension that teams would be calling Dallas to try to trade for Gafford, and moving him would open the door even more for Cisse.

Dallas signed Cisse to a two-way deal following the preseason, and this was a move that Mavericks fans expected all of training camp. Cisse was the only player on an Exhibit 10 contract that was two-way eligible, and the Mavericks made the move official a couple of days before the regular season began.

Moussa Cisse may be the answer if Dallas moves Daniel Gafford

Cisse's rise this season was not something that fans expected after Summer League, but he is looking like someone who could have a role in Dallas for years to come if his game continues to expand. He plays harder than just about anyone on the roster, and if the Mavericks do end up trading Gafford amid their struggle-filled season, he'll have even more of a chance to prove his worth and show that he belongs in Dallas.

Through 14 games, Cisse is averaging 3.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks (second in the NBA for rookies behind only Ryan Kalkbrenner) per game while shooting 64.5 percent from the field, and his energy is infectious every time that he steps onto the floor. Jason Kidd tends to lean on him most when either Gafford or Dereck Lively II is out of the lineup, always favoring him over Dwight Powell as his first center off the bench.

"Just his speed, his energy, his vibe is so positive and he’s just competing," Kidd said when asked about Cisse earlier this month. "He sprints every possession, he competes on the defensive end, and so guys feed off of that. A lot of the things that he does on the offensive end won’t be in the stats because he gets the mismatch, and so he’s created threes for us with just running…He’s done an incredible job for us."

Cisse's speed without the ball in the open floor is special, as he always sprints as hard as he can after his teammate grabs a defensive rebound. Like Kidd said, this often creates an advantage for Dallas on the other end, which leads to open threes for everyone else.

At this point, Cisse's offensive game has mostly been limited to just lobs and finishes inside, but he has the framework to be a great rim roller if his game continues to grow.

The other end of the floor, though, is where Cisse really thrives, and his rim protection and ability to switch in the pick and roll have been excellent for Dallas. He moves great for a 6-foot-11 center, and he can hold his own when he has to switch onto a guard and has the quickness and athleticism to recover when he gets beat.

With Daniel Gafford's future looking uncertain, the Mavericks have found a hidden gem in Moussa Cisse, and a trade will give him even more of a chance to shine. This isn't to say that Cisse will replicate Gafford's production immediately, as Gafford has been one of the best rim protectors in the NBA for some time. Cisse has big shoes to fill, but he has the drive, defense, and tenacity to become a staple of the Mavs' young core with Cooper Flagg, Max Christie, Brandon Williams, P.J. Washington, and Ryan Nembhard.