Mavericks' newest injury just shattered their perfect trade deadline plan

The perfect trade for the Dallas Mavericks to make this season seemed like it would be to move on from Daniel Gafford, but they can't make this move now that Dereck Lively II is out of the lineup. Gafford was in trade chatter earlier this month, but Dallas may be stuck in a corner that only he can get them out of.

Earlier this week, the Mavericks announced that Lively II is dealing with swelling and discomfort in his right foot, and he won't be re-evaluated for another week or so. This is the same foot that he had surgery on over the offseason, and this update was the last thing that Dallas needed right now.

Their entire season has been derailed by injuries, and even though Anthony Davis is poised to come back this weekend against the Los Angeles Lakers or LA Clippers, the Lively II injury is a stab to the heart. This was supposed to be the season where he finally gets healthy and emerges as one of the best young centers in the NBA, but he hasn't been able to do that.

Dereck Lively II's injury may force Dallas to keep Daniel Gafford

And because of that, their trade deadline plans could end up being impacted for the worse.

Gafford has been in trade rumors dating back to last season's deadline, and this season seemed like an ideal time to move the 27-year-old big man. He signed a three-year extension to remain in Dallas over the offseason, but with how the contract was structured, fans immediately assumed that he'd be traded this season.

The new deal barely avoided a six-month trade restriction, and he seemed like the odd man out. Regardless of how well Gafford has played this season, trading him seemed to make sense.

Dallas would likely be able to bring back some first-round draft capital in a trade for Gafford, and that's exactly what they need as they shift their focus to the future to build around Cooper Flagg. Despite this, trading Gafford now would invoke a disaster.

Lively II is likely going to miss significant time with the complications going on with his foot, especially since Dallas isn't winning games, and this would put all of the pressure on Davis, Moussa Cisse, and Dwight Powell to hold down the center spot. Add in the fact that Davis is in trade rumors himself, and the Mavericks would be down to a two-way guy and Powell when it comes to centers if they were to move Gafford (and Davis) now.

Dallas would almost certainly bring back another big man in a trade if they were to move on from Davis and Gafford, but Lively II's unreliability may force the Mavericks to reconsider everything when it comes to building around him. Lively II was supposed to be Flagg's co-star in Dallas for the next decade, but that can't happen if he can't stay on the floor.

He has only played in 98 regular-season games over the first three seasons of his career (we are in the middle of his third season right now), while Gafford has played 144 games in this same timespan. This is a massive difference, and Dallas would be playing with fire if they traded Gafford.

If the Mavericks want to go full tank mode and maximize their lottery odds, moving Gafford wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. They'd likely be dropping games left and right due to their deficiency down low, but it doesn't seem like the Mavericks are ready to throw in the towel just yet.

They are consistently playing clutch games, and even though their 5-14 record is among the worst in the NBA, they are fighting hard. Dallas hasn't given up on the season just yet, and if they plan to keep this mindset moving forward, Gafford needs to stay on the roster.