Mavericks finalizing perfect trade to bring Wizards elite defensive center to Dallas

Noah Weber

Phoenix Suns v Washington Wizards / G Fiume/GettyImages

The Dallas Mavericks were involved in as many trade rumors as anyone in the NBA leading up to Thursday's deadline, and their first trade of the season went down on Thursday morning.

According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Mavs are finalizing a deal to send Richaun Holmes and draft capital to the Washington Wizards in exchange for center Daniel Gafford. Gafford is someone who Dallas has been linked to heading into the deadline, and he fixes one of Dallas' biggest needs. Holmes is someone who Dallas has been shopping, and the Mavs are finally able to get off his contract.

The Mavs' backup center spot has been horrendous. The team has had to rely on rookie Dereck Lively II way too much, and the team takes a big dip every time he is off the floor.

Mavericks finalizing perfect trade to bring Wizards elite defensive center to Dallas

With the addition of Gafford, that will hopefully change.

This season for the Wizards, Gafford is averaging 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. Gafford has been one of the best rim protectors in the league this season, and adding him to Dallas' bench unit will be massive.

Aside from his ability to anchor the defense, Gafford is also a good rebounder, and he is solid in the pick and roll. While he has the ability to finish at the rim with a lob, Gafford's touch in the paint is also improving. He can finish in the paint with a push shot and is good at scoring on second-chance opportunities.

The Mavs won't miss a beat when Lively II is off the floor, as they now have another player who can protect the rim and catch lobs from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

It's unclear how much draft capital Dallas is giving up in this trade at this point. If Dallas can pull this trade off by just giving up second-round picks, the Mavs will have pulled off a phenomenal move.

The Mavs are reportedly trying to make a second move with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire the needed draft compensation to complete this trade.

For all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks and Daniel Gafford, stay tuned.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.