6 Dallas Mavericks players whose stock has surged this preseason

The Dallas Mavericks will finally wrap up their preseason against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, and the regular season is just seven days away.

Even though the Mavericks had the shortest offseason in the NBA along with the Boston Celtics, fans have been clamoring for more basketball ever since the NBA Finals ended. Mavs fans got a taste of NBA Finals basketball for the first time since 2011, and the excitement surrounding this year's team is as high as ever.

The Klay Thompson signing sent waves through the NBA world as Dallas added one of the greatest shooters of all time, and they addressed their point-of-attack defense by signing Naji Marshall and trading for Quentin Grimes.

6 Dallas Mavericks players whose stock has surged this preseason

The preseason is a great time to evaluate how players' games have grown over the summer, and it's the first chance to see them play before the regular season begins.

Dallas has had plenty of standouts to begin this preseason, and Jason Kidd may have some tough rotation decisions to make once Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs roll into town to begin the season next week.

6. Daniel Gafford

Daniel Gafford was the Mavs' starting center for most of the end of the regular season and into the playoff run last season, and despite it looking like Dereck Lively II will be the starter, Gafford has still been excellent.

Gafford's best game of the preseason came against the Utah Jazz, and he showed everyone why he is the perfect backup big man for the Mavs. He scored 15 points while pulling down seven rebounds and blocking three shots, and his energy is unmatched.

Gafford's dedication to putting on extra muscle this summer looks like it is already paying off, and this gives him the size to better defend down low against bigger and stronger centers. The Mavs struggled to contain Ivica Zubac in the first round of the playoffs last season due to his power in the paint, but Gafford is more prepared for bigs with his strength now.

Gafford remains one of the most efficient low-post scorers in the NBA due to his soft touch when receiving entry passes right at the rim, and he is also one of the most lethal lob threats.

Dallas has one of the best one-two punches in the NBA when it comes to Lively II and Gafford at center, and Gafford is playing great basketball ahead of the season beginning next week. His intensity and anticipation as a rim protector are excellent, and he seems locked in on doing whatever it takes to help Dallas win.

Whether that means he is starting or coming off the bench.