The Los Angeles Lakers may have an opportunity to reunite franchise player Luka Doncic with a former teammate if a recent rumor proves true. Daniel Gafford has long been regarded as an ideal Lakers trade target, but the logistics have never truly been explored.
As the Mavericks drift further toward prioritizing the 2026 NBA Draft, however, the dream of reuniting Doncic with Gafford appears to be more realistic than ever.
Doncic and Gafford were teammates for parts of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons with the Mavericks. They famously helped Dallas make a run to the 2024 NBA Finals, with Doncic leading the offense and Gafford anchoring the defensive interior.
According to Matt Moore of FanSided, Gafford is the most likely player on the Mavericks to be traded if the team ultimately decides to alter its current approach.
"Daniel Gafford is the most likely trade candidate. The Mavericks have Derek Lively as their future big. Gafford had a great three-month run with the Mavericks in 2024 where he looked like Rudy Gobert in terms of rim protection and has settled back into being Daniel Gafford."
Considering Doncic and Gafford have thrived alongside one another in the past, this is a trade the Lakers should be eager to explore.
Former Luka Doncic teammate Daniel Gafford on the trading block?
Gafford, 27, has earned the reputation of a high-level shot=blocker and rim runner across seven NBA seasons. He boasts career averages of 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 offensive boards, 1.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 19.9 minutes per game.
Gafford's per-game averages translate to impressive marks of 16.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.9 offensive boards, 1.9 assists, and 2.8 blocks per 36 minutes.
Gafford's ability to not only block shots at an elite level, but score with volume relative to his playing time makes him an intriguing player statistically. What Doncic managed to help the big man accomplish in Dallas, however, was a general step forward as a two-way player.
With Doncic running the pick and roll, Gafford became one of the more feared dive men in the Association, finishing above the rim with power and tenacity.
Gafford isn't quite as heralded in a post-Doncic Dallas, but he continues to be productive and efficient. He's currently averaging 10.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 offensive boards, 1.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game while shooting 66.1 percent from the field and 80.6 percent at the free throw line.
Though perhaps not a target for full-time starter minutes, Gafford has the tools to be the perfect backup to Deandre Ayton in Los Angeles.
Deandre Ayton, Daniel Gafford would give Lakers top-tier depth at center
Ayton has hit the grounding running with the Lakers, thriving in virtually every phase of the game. He's averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.9 offensive boards, 0.9 blocks, and 0.7 steals in 30.4 minutes per game while shooting an absurd 69.9 percent from the field.
In the 17.6 minutes per game that the Lakers are playing without Ayton, however, they simply aren't quite as capable of generating production from its interior players.
Jaxson Hayes does a commendable job as a backup, but Gafford would offer high-level minutes in relief of Ayton. He's the shot-blocker the Lakers otherwise lack, as well as a rim-runner who would be an ideal complement to Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves in pick and roll sets.
With a new interior duo established, the Lakers could realistically proceed with confidence that the rim will always be protected and a lob threat will always be present.
The logistics of a trade are easier to imagine if Dallas truly is shifting toward a long-term focus. Gafford is in the first season of a three-year, $54,380,290 contract, and Los Angeles can offer significant cap relief with its expiring contracts, as well as potential draft compensation.
If the rumor proves true and Gafford truly is likely to be moved, the Lakers should explore paths to acquiring a player who can anchor the second unit and perfectly complement Doncic.