The Celtics are expected to be buyers ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, and if do they make a move, it’ll likely be for a big man. That much has been spelled out over the past few months as another front-court player would round out the rest of the roster.
One name to keep an eye on is the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford, who the Celtics have been linked to in the past. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently spoke about league-wide interest in Gafford on a Bleacher Report livestream, considering him a second-tier type of target.
“Gafford is someone that I am expecting will have a pretty sizable market around the league,” Fischer said. “For playoff teams that are looking for center help who saw him as a starting center in the NBA Finals two years ago. And a real, bouncy pick-and-roll lob threat that would fit as a plug-and-play in a lot of pick-and-roll heavy schemes around the NBA.”
The Mavericks are in sell mode as they’re just 19-30 on the year and outside of the play-in picture. Considering No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg is still just a rookie and developing, Dallas is looking toward the future to set up its roster well. So getting out of Gafford’s deal would make sense from the Mavs’ perspective.
Gafford, 27, is currently making $14.4 million this season. He signed a three-year, $54 million contract, so his salary jumps up to $17.2 million next season. He’s currently averaging 8.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in 33 games (23 starts) for Dallas.
Celtics fans saw Gafford when he was a contributor for the Mavericks in the 2024 MVP Finals. The 6-foot-10 big man would give the C’s some size in a potential deal and shore up the big man rotation.
Gafford’s age is also at a nice spot as he enters the prime of his career. The Celtics front office will have to consider if they want to add Gafford’s future salary in any deal. But he’s a name that could make sense on the trade market, though the C’s have also been linked to various other big men across the NBA.