Mavericks suddenly have a worsening Daniel Gafford problem as trade rumors swirl

With trade talk surrounding the Dallas Mavericks reaching a high after a slow 10-16 start to the team's season, fan-favorite center Daniel Gafford's status with the franchise may be closer to ending than fans realize. Gafford has often been one of the few names that fans throw into trade machines as he is a valuable center that contending teams view highly, but after a slow start to the season and injuries taking over what little momentum he had on the year, Gafford may be harder to trade than fans realize.

On the season, the 27-year-old has only played a staggering 15 of the team's 26 games, and while many fans expected Gafford to leap as a veteran looking to stamp his name in Dallas' frontcourt, the reality is the former Arkansas Razorback has struggled to stay healthy for long enough periods to make an impact on the floor. Not to mention, Gafford has also looked like a shell of himself when he is on the floor, and this has surely tanked his once highly viewed trade value.

Gafford has always been viewed as a short-term center that the Mavericks would eventually flip for picks or another valuable role player if things went south, and with the team struggling to stay above water in a loaded Western Conference, Gafford's name has once again entered trade rumors. Even though the 27-year-old's peak product is one that any team looking for wins would love to have, he isn't raising his stock sitting on the bench injured, and this is only hurting the Mavericks.

Daniel Gafford's trade stock will dip with injury concerns growing

In the small sample size that Gafford has played in this season, his on-court production has taken a massive dip, with him averaging 8.9 points per game on 61 percent shooting from the field. Not to mention, Gafford's numbers across the board have dipped from his rebounds to blocks per outing, which has only hurt the Mavericks as they look to build around Flagg.

While the on-court product can largely be attributed to Dallas's lack of on-ball creation, which ultimately helps centers like Gafford, the reality of his situation is that health has played a huge part in keeping him off the floor. For the Mavericks, it would be easy to say that Gafford has a lot to offer for a team willing to push all their chips in for a chance at a championship, but in his current status, it may be hard for the team to find a suitor.

The Mavericks would likely want a low-end first-round pick and some expiring contracts for a player of Gafford's magnitude, but as injuries continue to pile on the once highly viewed center, it continues to get harder for the Mavericks to ask for draft capital. For a team looking to build an enticing future around Flagg, trading Gafford only continues to get more difficult, especially with Dereck Lively II's season-ending foot surgery.

Dallas will have a lot of ground to make up when it comes to acquiring future talent to surround with Flagg and other young role players, but it starts with maximizing the value of veterans like Gafford or Anthony Davis. As it currently stands, the Mavericks have only dug their hole deeper and aren't giving themselves any aid with Gafford sitting on the bench and injured.