Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Dallas Mavericks' main pain point was the starting point guard position. Kyrie Irving continues to recover from a torn ACL, and it's not quite clear when he'd be back from such a serious injury. Moreover, the Mavs traded Luka Doncic away, leaving them with such uninspiring options at the position.
The Mavericks have left no stone unturned in their quest to address their need at the one, and they've relied on a host of players, including Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard, and D'Angelo Russell, just so they could have a workable starting unit. They even called upon rookie Cooper Flagg to take on the point guard role to begin his career, and while that is good for his development moving forward, it was apparent very quickly that he's not a natural at the position.
Thus, there is no surprise at all to see the Mavericks come up as a potential trade destination for Chicago Bulls guard Coby White. White, who is making $12.8 million in the final year of his contract, appears likely to be dealt away, with ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel reporting that the “Bulls continue to field calls from numerous teams interested” in the 25-year-old guard.
The Mavericks will be facing some stiff competition, as White's team-friendly deal makes him a rather easy trade target to poach. Marc Stein also fueled trade rumors even further by reporting that the Bulls are “eager to make a move by capitalizing on some of their expiring contracts” — including White.
To that end, here is the offer that the Mavericks must float to the Bulls in their quest to land a quality starting point guard who fits their timeline.
Mavericks have stopgap point guard option, Bulls welcome back familiar face
Mavericks acquire: Coby White
Bulls acquire: Daniel Gafford, 2030 PHI second-round pick
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Mavericks do not have much in the way of future draft assets, as they were ultra-aggressive in putting together a contending roster around Doncic. This gambit of theirs worked; bringing in PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford gave them enough defensive juice to mount a deep playoff run which resulted in an NBA Finals appearance, losing to the Boston Celtics in five games.
But now that Doncic is gone, the Mavericks no longer have the driver who can make the most of their roster that's filled with high-level role players. They need more self-sufficient creators and playmakers, especially amid Irving's absence, and bringing in White gives them a level of assured production at the point that none of their current options at the position give them.
The Mavericks can dangle the likes of Caleb Martin and Jaden Hardy to the Bulls in exchange for White, but it doesn't make sense for Chicago to clog their cap sheet by adding two fringe rotation players who are under contract for multiple more years.
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They would be better off freeing up space for a potential major free-agency pursuit instead, and keeping White would be more beneficial as a whole, especially when they've made it their mission to fight for a play-in tournament spot.
This is why the Mavericks will be dangling Daniel Gafford instead. Gafford has been involved in trade rumors aplenty over the past year or so, which makes sense considering that Dallas, at full strength, have a bit of a logjam in the frontcourt. The 27-year-old center thrived when he played alongside Doncic, but his numbers across the board have been down this season and he's rarely been healthy — a red flag for the Bulls.
But the Bulls have to know that they have to build a better defensive identity. Head coach Billy Donovan has even admitted in the past that Isaac Okoro is their only defensive-minded player currently on the roster. And considering that Chicago has a few talented playmakers on the roster, the best among them being Josh Giddey, then it's likely for Gafford to thrive back in the Windy City with the team that drafted him back in 2019.
Nikola Vucevic is also an impending free agent, and it's not quite clear if the Bulls would want to extend their partnership with the Montenegrin big man past this season. Vucevic is going to be 36 to start next season, and there's always a chance that players on the older side would want a chance at competing for a ring. He won't be getting that opportunity with the Bulls next season, that's for certain.
Gafford being under contract for a total of around $54.3 million over the next three seasons should at least ease the Bulls' mind when it comes to the center position. He is also a fearsome rim-protector when healthy, and having him around should give Chicago a foundational piece as they beef up their defensive identity.
This trade then kills two birds in one stone for the Mavericks, turning a position of strength to address a position of weakness. While White may be headed for free agency, they should at least have the capability to re-sign him to a reasonable contract, giving them an insurance policy as Irving slowly makes his way back from his torn ACL.
Playmaking is not the best part of White's game. His scoring is. But much like Irving, the sheer defensive attention he commands allows him to make life easier for his teammates. The value of scoring and shot-creating wings who are shaky on the defensive end may be lower than ever, but the Mavericks know how difficult life is without one such player on the roster — making White a valuable addition.
Their frontcourt depth should still be solid moving forward, with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Washington, and Flagg all capable of filling in minutes at the four and the five (Lively should exclusively be a five-man, but the others are more positionally versatile).
The Mavericks are also sending a second-round pick to the Bulls in this deal as a sweetener considering how injury-ravaged Gafford has been this season. Gafford has only played in 30 games this season, and his scoring has fallen quite a bit, requiring a bit more compensation for the Bulls to feel fully confident in taking on his contract.