Mavericks are taking the right trade stance with Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington

P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have been in trade rumors for the Dallas Mavericks this summer, but the Mavericks aren't going to just move on from the two soon-to-be 28-year-old veterans for the sake of getting a deal done, as NBA reporter Jake Fischer recently maintained that Dallas will likely demand at least a first-round pick for both Washington and Gafford.

"I do think (the Mavs) are open to trading veterans like P.J. Washington, like Klay Thompson, like Daniel Gafford for the right price," Fischer said on a Bleacher Report video. "What is that price? The Mavericks — it dates back to a different front office regime — they’ve been asking for a first round pick for Daniel Gafford for a while now. I’m sure it’s roughly similar value for P.J. Washington."

Dallas isn't trading Washington or Gafford for less than a first-round pick

There's no doubt the Mavericks have a crowded front-court at this point in the summer, leaving fans with the natural inclination that one of Dallas' two veteran front-court players would be dealt for a guard to mitigate the logjam up front, but it doesn't appear like the Mavericks are going to settle for a deal that won't give them a first-round pick in either of these cases.

It was also revealed that Masai Ujiri covets Washington and his playstyle, so it truly wouldn't be surprising if both Washington and Gafford are on Dallas' opening night roster, despite it seeming like a foregone conclusion that one of them would be dealt before the start of the season over these past few months.

Coming off a season in which Washington only shot 32.5 percent from outside, Dallas could serve to drive up his trade value if that's something they are interested in down the line, and the same applies to Gafford, as he was injury-riddled all of last season.

There's no reason to rush the process on trading these veterans

Both players are in the middle of their primes, and if Dallas is going to trade them, they want to ensure they get some premium draft capital that can help them build around Cooper Flagg for the future, as settling for an average deal could do more harm than good at this juncture.

Despite all the talent Dallas added to their frontcourt with players like Morez Johnson Jr. and Santi Aldama, it honestly wouldn't be surprising if Washington and Gafford were Dallas' opening-night starters at the four and five.

Maybe that's not where they ultimately finish the season, but they are Dallas' two most battle-tested players outside of Kyrie Irving and Thompson, and can be menacing together defensively when they are fully locked in and healthy.

The Mavs are smart to keep holding ground, despite lineup questions

Also taking into account that Dereck Lively II doesn't look like he'll be ready for the start of the season, there's no reason to rush a deal on Washington or Gafford unless Dallas gets a call from a team offering an intriguing youngster alongside a first-round pick.

New head coach Dusty May will have his hands full trying to figure out how to manage the minutes in Dallas' frontcourt, but there's no doubt Dallas has the ability to roll out some massive lineups next season, and adding a shooter like Aldama into the mix will help the versatility of these lineups.

For fans bitter that Dallas hasn't traded Washington or Gafford or another guard up to this point, the Mavericks don't project to be contenders next season, so there's no reason to rush the process on either of these potential deals. Both players just got contract extensions last season, and Dallas might as well see how they gel with a healthy Irving and second-year Flagg instead of settling for a deal that doesn't accurately gauge either of Washington or Gafford's true trade value.

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