With a surplus of frontcourt depth, Dallas looks to offload the veteran lob-threat. A potential blockbuster move could reunite Luka Dončić with his former pick-and-roll partner.
DALLAS - We suppose that in a sense, it's a good problem to have.
The Dallas Mavericks have plenty of possibilities for minutes at the center spot now after matching the two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet Moussa Cissé signed with the New York Knicks.
And that's a problem. "Good'' or otherwise.
To us? Dallas has too much invested in four different big men to keep the group constructed as it currently is.
Cissé just received a multi-year deal, Santi Aldama arrived via trade less than two weeks ago, Dereck Lively II was a lottery pick only three years ago and Daniel Gafford signed a three-year extension with Dallas last summer.
Of the four, Gafford is the one the Mavericks are reportedly shopping.
Per NBA insider Marc Stein, Dallas is "still fielding offers" for Gafford — and this isn't the first time.
And the Los Angeles Lakers are rumored to be among the potential bidders.
The Mavs are in wheeling-and-dealing mode as of Sunday. They are getting former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and sending out Ryan Nembhard in three-way trade keyed by Thunder trading Lu Dort to the Hawks ...
And next up might be Gafford.
We think Gafford, 27, holds enough individual value to garner a net-positive return for new team president Masai Ujiri and Dallas.
And as Mavs fans know all too well, Luka Dončić loves a good lob partner.
Los Angeles ultimately found a big guy this summer in Walker Kessler, but acquiring him cost them two future first-round picks, two first-round pick swaps and a four-year, $130 million contract.
Still ...
Having an opportunity to cash in on Dončić's previously established relationship with Gafford, knowing the Lakers were after his exact archetype of player and passing it up doesn't.
We understand how some Mavs fans don't want Dallas to "help the Lakers'' with a trade. But ideally, Gafford-to-LA wouldn't be about aiding Luka's new team.
It would be about helping Luka's previous team.
