Mavericks vindicated for dumping once-hyped big as he falls out of the NBA

Daniel Gafford was one of the Dallas Mavericks players involved in many trade rumors before the deadline, but he never ended up getting traded. Even if he didn't, Dallas still destroyed the Washington Wizards in the trade two years ago when he was traded for Richaun Holmes.

Before the 2023-24 season, Holmes looked to be the answer that Dallas needed after not being able to find a consistent answer with frontcourt defense. Holmes, already a veteran, was supposed to be the dependable big man that Dallas desperately needed after missing the playoffs. Instead, during his Mavs tenure, he only appeared in 23 games and averaged 3.4 points per game. Holmes was a huge disappointment after getting traded to Dallas on the night of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Especially after Gafford helped the Mavs get to the NBA Finals in 2024, it's safe to say the Mavs made the right choice by moving Holmes for him. He may be in and out of the lineup this season due to injuries, but it looks like Gafford will be a part of the team's plan for the future. Holmes, on the other hand, isn't even playing in the NBA anymore.

The Gafford trade to dump Holmes was a major win for the Mavericks

Holmes is now playing for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basketball League and the EuroLeague. It seems like he's thriving much better overseas, but either way, he's not NBA material anymore. Nico Harrison found that out at the right time.

Gafford, who's been dealing with injuries all season long, has not been the same powerful big man fans know and love. As long as he gets back strong and healthy with Dereck Lively II, Cooper Flagg will have his big men set up perfectly for the future. There are still questions regarding Gafford's future with the Mavs, but to put it simply, he's a much better option than Holmes.

The Mavs only got desperate with Holmes because Christian Wood was a massive failure back in 2023, and they didn't re-sign him. Wood was supposed to be the next big man support to Luka Doncic, but he never worked out. There were many reasons why Wood didn't fit with the Mavs, but one of the reasons was that he wasn't a good fit with Doncic. Now, Wood isn't even a relevant player anymore.

Gafford and Lively II can be the perfect center tandem in the league if they're healthy. It's been a rough year to say the least, but they work perfectly together when they're rotating with each other. The only concern is the obvious: health. It's not a guarantee, and while fans may be concerned about Gafford playing with only one good leg all season, Lively II has not proven over the past two seasons that he can stay on the court.

The Mavs' current center duo is much better than what they've had in the past, and they've clearly been proven right for getting rid of Holmes when they did.