Mavericks need Gafford to become something he's never been — for everyone's sake

It's not difficult to acknowledge that the Dallas Mavericks' spacing was poor a season ago, and it didn't really improve much heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Nonetheless, there's a not-so-obvious way it could improve exponentially, and it starts with Dallas' probable opening-night starting center shooting more (at least some) 3-pointers.

Daniel Gafford has never been asked to shoot

That would be Daniel Gafford, who's penciled in as Dallas' starting center as prized, oft-injured 22-year-old Dereck Lively II continues to work his way back from foot surgery. Gafford has never truly been a full-time starter, but he's started in more than half of his appearances in Dallas, doing so in 96 of 141 games.

Just because he hasn't been a full-time starter doesn't necessarily mean Gafford isn't an impactful player. He's just limited in what he offers. He's a skilled finisher around the rim, an athletic lob threat, and an interior deterrent on the less glamorous end. But he doesn't space the floor whatsoever. He's made all six field goals from beyond 10 feet since being traded to Dallas in 2023.

Perhaps most jarring, he's never made a three and hasn't even attempted one, let alone a heave, while suiting up for the Mavericks. In fact, Gafford has played the third-most games among active players who haven't recorded at least one 3-pointer in their respective careers.

Dusty May is pushing Gafford outside his comfort zone

Yet, this could all be changing very, very soon. Dallas' first-time head coach Dusty May shared that he's been challenging the 27-year-old big man to expand his offensive game, with becoming a perimeter shooting threat as one of the main talking points. More specifically, May has emphasized Gafford shooting rhythm threes.

It's certainly an unexpected development, considering the above, where Gafford has yet to make a 3-pointer in his career. It's almost something out of left field. While the solution to improving the Mavericks' shoddy spacing is rather simple (get more shooters!), it's easier said than done, and Gafford wasn't one of those guys whom one would expect to suddenly start shooting threes eight years into his NBA career.

But it's 2026, and the NBA is skewing to the point where just about everyone shoots. It's not unprecedented for a player to pick up standstill 3-point shooting at any point in their career. Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu made four threes over his first three seasons. This past year, he made 144. Bam Adebayo didn't make more than 15 3-pointers in any season until his eighth, and just recently exploded for 127 in 2025-26. As impossible as it seems, it actually is very possible.

Gafford's shooting would solve a major problem

Of course, adding a new facet to Gafford's game would pay dividends for the big man's career, but it would also help the Mavericks. Dallas desperately needs shooting. The Mavericks ranked among the worst teams in 3-point shooting a year ago and didn't do all too much to address their lack of perimeter marksmanship this year.

Internal improvements must be made. And while Cooper Flagg's still-improving 3-point shooting has been at the crux of these discussions, having Gafford take and make some threes would be a far more unexpected development that would bode extremely well for the Mavericks' offense.

Gafford has never made a 3-pointer, but with a push from May, that could change as early as next month. And if that change actually comes to fruition, it would elevate Dallas' entire offensive ecosystem.

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