Though many wouldn’t have expected it with the numerous injuries, specifically to LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers are doing fine to start the season with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the way. They are 8-3 and near the top of the league in many offensive statistics.
However, the question remains whether Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick did enough over the summer to fix the frontcourt issues that ultimately led to the team’s downfall in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. New arrival Deandre Ayton has played well with the two star guards of Doncic and Reaves, but there’s still an uncertainty if he will bring them over the top when the postseason rolls around.
Due to that concern, the Lakers have been urged to make a move for another big man. While the combination of Ayton, Jaxson Hayes, and Maxi Kleber has gotten the job done so far, there is another big man who could help raise the floor of this current Lakers team, and he might have just become even more available with his team’s latest move.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley urged Los Angeles to make a trade for Daniel Gafford, a player who saw immense success on the court with Doncic during their time together on the Dallas Mavericks.
“Gafford, whose lob-finishing and interior activity are exactly what L.A. needs in the middle, has already embarked on one NBA Finals journey with Luka Dončić (on the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks),” he wrote.
All of Gafford’s highest scoring and rebounding averages came when he and Doncic were on the Mavericks. This season, he is still averaging a decent 8.5 points, five rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, but the athletic big man has fallen back in the rotation behind the Mavericks’ other frontcourt stars.
Lakers Urged To Pair Daniel Gafford With Luka Doncic
Asking Dallas to make another big-time trade with the Lakers might not sit well, considering the fallout of the Doncic trade. However, team governor Patrick Dumont most recently fired general manager Nico Harrison, and with that, could open the floodgates for the Mavericks to move on from many of their top contributors to better build around Cooper Flagg.
If that is the case, the Lakers were predicted to jump on an offer for Gafford. NBA insider Brett Siegel recently reported they had interest in the 27-year-old, and right now, it might be the best time to offer up some of their rotational players for the chance at another high-energy frontcourt player.
“Coincidentally enough, one of the teams with strong interest in Gafford dating back to last season is the Los Angeles Lakers, sources said. Could we see a reunion between Luka Doncic and Gafford in Los Angeles in February?” Siegel wrote.
While he reported that news before Harrison’s departure, the chances of Gafford becoming available are now even greater. Though he did sign a three-year, $54 million extension over the offseason, it is hard to say Pelinka wouldn’t make the move because of his deal, especially if it means adding a player with a proven track record next to Doncic.
“It’s hard to buy into a championship ending for a team ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency. And it’s borderline impossible to imagine L.A.’s center search has concluded when Deandre Ayton has a wholly abysmal minus-14.4 net differential,” Buckley wrote. “The Lakers should remain on the lookout for upgrades. Or rather, they should be tightening their focus on Gafford.”
What The Trade Looks Like, And Why The Lakers Make It Without Hesitation
The trade: Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and a 2031 first-round pick (top-four protected) to the Dallas Mavericks for Daniel Gafford
Again, it is important to mention that it is hard to see the Mavericks making any other trades with the Lakers for the foreseeable future, but with Harrison out, who knows what direction they’ll take.
Regardless, Gafford is a step up from Ayton, or even Hayes and Kleber, for that matter, considering what Redick and the Lakers would use him for. Yes, Ayton has been a strong pick-and-roll partner with Doncic and Reaves while remaining a strong lob threat, but he still doesn’t fill all their holes on either side of the ball.
Looking at the numbers this season, Ayton looks to be playing stronger. However, Gafford playing with Doncic was one of the most efficient players in the league, and though he bounced in and out of Jason Kidd’s starting lineup, his 70% shooting numbers are hard to ignore.
“Reunite that pair on a roster that also features LeBron James and an ascending Austin Reaves, and you may have just paved the Purple and Gold’s path to the championship round,” Buckley added.
Doncic is the future of the team, and it isn’t worth it for Pelinka to experiment with players at the same time they are fighting for a title.
A deal like this would involve giving up Vanderbilt and Knecht, and while trading away the former’s perimeter defense could be costly, Redick already has too many backcourt playmakers for whom he is trying to manage their minutes.
Dallas does this deal because they get shooting around Flagg, but as seen in the past, it’s hard to predict that franchise’s front office decision-making.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lakers ‘Strong Interest’ In Former Luka Partner Fuels New Trade Rumors appeared first on Heavy Sports.