The Lakers are expected to aggressively pursue a new starting center ahead of the 2025-26 season. One player who was earmarked as a “dream” Lakers trade target — Mavericks center Daniel Gafford — could be off the board.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Gafford and the Mavericks intend to put pen to paper on a three-year contract extension worth up to nearly $60 million. The report added that the new deal will keep Gafford in Dallas through the 2028-29 season.
The report could prove to be a severe blow to the Lakers, who have been linked to the likes of Gafford, Nic Claxton, Robert Williams III and Walker Kessler on the trade market, not to mention free agents such as Brook Lopez and Clint Capela.
While all signs point to Gafford staying in Dallas for the foreseeable future, ESPN’s Charania noted that Gafford’s base salary means he “will still be trade eligible this season,” which could spell good news for the Lakers and others vying for his services.
Daniel Gafford Still Trade-Eligible
“Gafford, 26, is set to make around $14 million next season before the extension kicks in,” wrote Charania.
Gafford played a key role in allowingthe Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals, averaging 9.0 points and 5.5rebounds through 22 playoff games.
The veteran center also allows Anthony Davis, who prefers playing power forward, to stay in his natural spot as part of the Mavericks ‘ frontcourt. The roster also boasts of Dereck Lively II, the projected starting center next season, and prospective No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who is likely to play both the 3 and 4 spots at the NBA level.
“Gafford is an elite lob threat and rim finisher; his 71% career field goal percentage is the best in the NBA since he entered the league in 2019-20 (minimum 1,000 field goal attempts),” wrote Charania. “He also provides a strong interior presence on defense, ranking in the top 10 in field goal percentage allowed as the contesting defender this past season (minimum 800 shots contested).”
Other Lakers Trade Options at Center
Sports Illustrated’s Nelson Espinal believes the Lakers may be better served pivoting to non-Gafford targets since their need at the center position is “so urgent.”
Lakers front-office head Rob Pelinka made it clear during his season-ending news conference that adding a center was the team’s No. 1 priority in the offseason.
“It would be great to have a center that was a vertical threat, lob threat, and someone that could protect the interior defensively,” Pelinka said.
According to Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points, the Lakers plan to trade for a starting center — by possibly unloading Austin Reaves — and acquire a backup big man with their $5.7M taxpayer midlevel exception.
The two-step plan could help the Lakers shore up their frontcourt, which was severely compromised in the playoff series loss to the Timberwolves.
“Sources close to the team reiterated that the internal plan is to trade for their starting center – sources say they’ve held conversations with other teams about Nic Claxton, Robert Williams, Walker Kessler and others – then, ideally, use the taxpayer midlevel on his backup – Brook Lopez and Clint Capela are the two names most often linked to the Lakers,” Irwin wrote on June 17.
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