Mavericks' P.J. Washington move puts fan favorite into trade crosshairs

To no fan's surprise, the Dallas Mavericks finally completed the extension of fan-favorite forward, P.J. Washington, on a four-year $90 million contract that will last through the 2029-30 NBA season. Extending Washington was not only a signal from Nico Harrison that the team is ready to commit fully to defense in the next few years, but it's also a sign that the Mavericks have now locked in their core group of players that they believe will win them a championship.

By signing his extension when he did, it allowed Washington's trade eligibility to date to extend past the NBA's trade deadline, which means that Washington cannot be traded this coming season. While this is a good sign for Washington and his long-term future in Dallas, it does bring into question the financial flexibility of the Mavericks in the summer of 2026, as they are currently projected to be in the second apron cap hold.

With this in mind, the Mavericks will ultimately need to make a move to free up some long-term cap space or make a significant in-season upgrade, and unfortunately, that may mean a familiar name will be out the door by the end of the season or after next season.

Mavs may be forced to trade Gafford if they want to make an upgrade

Since joining the Mavericks, Daniel Gafford has emerged as one of the league's top five centers while largely playing a reserve role in Dallas. Just last season, Gafford reached career highs with 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 70.2 percent from the field.

Trading Gafford would no doubt be another gut punch to fans, but it may be more necessary than anyone realizes. Entering the offseason, the Mavericks understood that they needed to add guard depth and did so by signing D'Angelo Russell. If the Mavericks wanted to make a serious upgrade with a ball handler or add another wing defender, it would likely mean that Gafford would need to be included in a deal.

In the past, the Mavericks haven't been afraid to explore trading Gafford and assess his value, but it wouldn't be shocking to see the team with the same mindset this coming season or next offseason (depending on how the 2025-26 season goes). Gafford would instantly be one of the top center names on the market and would ultimately force a team to make a big-time swing for the 26-year-old, which would work out in Dallas's favor.

To open the offseason, the Mavericks extended Gafford on a very team-friendly and trade-friendly deal by signing him to a three-year $54 million extension. Even at the time, fans understood that the Mavericks likely signed him to this number so it could be included in a future trade package. Still, now, after seeing Washington's extension, it seems more likely than ever that Gafford could be on another team by the end of the trade deadline or next summer to save the Mavs from a major headache next offseason.

With the Mavericks having an overload of talent at the center spot, it only makes sense that one of Dereck Lively II or Gafford's futures is in question. Gafford would be the perfect name that could elevate a team into championship contention. After signing his extension, it's only more of a reason for a team to trade for Gafford and include a potential young asset on top of draft capital in return.

The Mavericks need to do everything in their power to surround Cooper Flagg with young talent, while also loading up on draft assets if their championship window begins to close. It may be hard for some fans to hear, but trading Gafford may be the first step in the puzzle in the Flagg era.