Mavericks' impossible big-man logjam almost guarantees a heartbreaking trade

When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, they formed one of the best frontcourt rooms in the NBA with Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford leading the way. The Mavericks now have three bigs with great size who can hold down the paint, but injuries to all three players ultimately limited the potential of what they could do in their first season together.

Not to mention, Kyrie Irving also tore his ACL last season, and the Mavericks' playoff hopes had been destroyed for weeks, long before Davis, Lively II, and Gafford returned to the floor from their respective injuries.

While the potential of Dallas' bigs is endless when considering how deep they are, not having Irving to play alongside Gafford and Lively II significantly hurt their production. This ended up affecting Lively II more, as Gafford is a better scorer than Lively II with his back to the basket and around the rim, and Mavericks fans may have already seen the final game of Dallas' Lively II-Gafford-Davis trio after they only played a few games together at the end of last season.

Daniel Gafford may be the odd man out in Dallas' frontcourt dilemma

Lively II and Davis are locked up in Dallas for the next few seasons, but the team is entering difficult territory when it comes to Gafford and his future. Gafford is extension eligible this summer, and according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon (on "The Hoop Collective"), he is looking to "receive starting center money."

Gafford has definitely earned a pay raise through his improvement as a player since arriving in Dallas, but the Mavericks are approaching a crossroads with Gafford, and the reality surrounding the Mavs' situation with their bigs is that Gafford may end up getting traded this summer.

As MacMahon stated, the Mavs can't give Lively II a huge contract in a few years while having Davis on a max contract and signing Gafford to a contract extension this summer, and the best way to move forward for the Mavericks may be to trade him this offseason. They can't afford to lose him for nothing next offseason, and considering how bad their guard depth is right now, it would make sense for the Mavs to move on from Gafford before the season begins.

It's no secret that the Mavericks were open to trading Gafford at a certain point last season if the right deal presented itself, and these trade rumors are only poised to intensify if Dallas doesn't plan on offering him a contract extension. The Mavs' future assets are too bare to allow Gafford to leave in free agency next summer, and that's why an offseason deal makes sense for both sides.

This would allow Dallas to maximize his value while also bringing in a player who can contribute right away in the backcourt, but seeing Gafford go wouldn't be an easy pill to swallow for Mavericks fans. Gafford has become one of the team's energizers and is undoubtedly a fan favorite, and his departure would mark another player from the 2024 NBA Finals team who has left the team.

Gafford's energy, rim protection, and scoring around the basket were among the reasons that Dallas surged through the standings at the end of the 2023-24 season and ultimately made the finals, and this Mavs squad wouldn't be the same without him. His cheerful demeanor and dedication to his craft have morphed him into someone that Mavericks fans cherish deeply, but the end of the road could be coming soon if Dallas doesn't want to cough up a big deal.