Henri Veesaar's ACL tear could reignite Mavericks-Hawks trade talks for Daniel Gafford

The Atlanta Hawks were dealt a significant blow earlier this week when it was reported that rookie big man Henri Veesaar tore his ACL. This will cause him to miss the entire 2026-27 season, and the Hawks' center rotation will be without one of their promising frontcourt pieces.

Atlanta will be without Henri Veesaar for the entire year

Despite going undrafted, Atlanta gave the former North Carolina Tar Heel a guaranteed contract. His rebounding, 3-point shooting, and rim protection made him someone Quin Snyder could look to for floor spacing and energy at center, but now they'll have to look elsewhere.

This news could prompt trade talks between the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta to pick back up, as the Hawks were eyeing Daniel Gafford at last season's trade deadline. A deal never materialized, but the two teams discussed a trade for Gafford. The fact that Atlanta was monitoring Gafford in February and other big men around the time of the draft gives them a reason to call Dallas again about Gafford's availability.

Daniel Gafford has been in trade rumors for years

While Gafford didn't get traded by the Mavericks this summer, the team has certainly been open to trading him. This has been the case for multiple years in Dallas, and the uncertainty surrounding his future with the team has been well noted.

Gafford has shrugged off these trade rumors. Even though it seems the Mavs won't trade Gafford before the start of the season, a trade with Atlanta before February's trade deadline shouldn't be ruled out. The Mavs and Hawks made a trade earlier this summer when Dallas sent Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta for Zaccharie Risacher, and we could see more talks develop if the Hawks get desperate for frontcourt help with Veesaar out of the lineup.

The Hawks' center situation is shaky

Heading into the 2026-27 season, Atlanta's top two centers are Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale. This is a decent duo, but another injury would leave them thin at center. They're also without Mouhamed Gueye for the start of the season as he recovers from a fractured foot. Adding Gafford as an insurance option would be a smart move.

He still has three years left on his contract, and with Landale's contract expiring after next season and Okongwu's deal expiring following the 2027-28 season, the Hawks would be adding an experienced big man to provide depth during the prime of his career.

He averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game for the Mavericks last season, and his finishing around the basket, paint defense, and energy would give Atlanta a proven center who is effective as a starter or bench player.

Why trading Gafford makes sense for the Mavericks

Such a move would allow Dallas to open up more minutes for Morez Johnson Jr., Santi Aldama, Dereck Lively II, and Moussa Cisse, while also giving them some financial wiggle room moving forward (if they trade him for an expiring contract from Atlanta or a third team as part of a potential trade).

Moving on from Gafford would help Dallas continue to get younger, and with the Hawks already showing interest in him, their injury situation makes the idea of these talks picking back up intriguing.

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