Dallas Mavericks Veteran At Ease With Uncertain Future

Jun 29, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; New Dallas Mavericks’ head coach Dusty May answers questions from the media during an introductory press conference at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dallas Mavericks Veteran At Ease With Uncertain Future

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Jul 28, 2026 3:56 PM ET

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The Dallas Mavericks have a growing logjam in the frontcourt.

Instead of shedding some of those pieces during free agency, the Mavericks only added to the crowd, re-signing Moussa Cisse and acquiring Santi Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Cisse and Aldama round out a unit that also includes P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Morez Johnson Jr.

With 16 players under contract, Dallas still has moves to make before the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

Moving on from someone in the front court appears to be the most likely path for the Mavericks, which brings the future of Washington, Gafford, and Lively II into question.

Gafford is entering the first season of a three-year/$54 million contract extension that he signed last summer. Despite constantly being teased in trade talks, the veteran big man is keeping a carefree mindset, focusing on the things that he can actually control.

Daniel Gafford Not Concerned By Potential Mavericks Trade

In an exclusive interview with DLLS Sports' Ron Harrod Jr., Gafford made it clear that he's fine with whatever decision the Mavericks make.

If Gafford gets the opportunity to stick around in Dallas, great. If not, then he'll pick up his career somewhere else.

"If they want to keep me, I'm more than grateful," Gafford said to Harrod Jr. "And if they want to ship me off, I know it's just another step in my career that I'm going to have to take.”

Gafford is no stranger to change. He's been traded twice in his seven years in the league. As Gafford prepares for his eighth season in the NBA, he's on track to play for his seventh different head coach.

It's still unclear where exactly Gafford fits into the Mavericks' plans. The franchise did extend him, but that was before he went through a series of injuries that limited him to 55 games, his fewest appearances since 2020-21.

An ankle sprain and shoulder impingement aggravated Gafford throughout the year. He averaged 9.5 points per game, his lowest mark in four years, when he was still with the Washington Wizards.

In the event the Mavericks keep Gafford around, head coach Dusty May needs to figure out how to cater to his strengths on offense, something the franchise has struggled to do since trading Luka Doncic.

A second-round pick in 2019, Gafford has averaged 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks over 20.1 minutes per game during his career.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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