The Dallas Mavericks have reportedly closed the door on any trade talks with the Lakers, blocking Los Angeles from pursuing Daniel Gafford.
The Dallas Mavericks have reportedly closed the door on any trade talks with the Los Angeles Lakers, a major setback for LA as they pursue Daniel Gafford.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the Mavericks are still holding a grudge from last year’s trade deadline, when the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in what many called a heist. As a result, Dallas has put up “road closed” signs on any potential trade with the Lakers.
“Naji Marshall has also generated interest around the Lakers, though the pathways to any deal with the Dallas Mavericks after the Luka Doncic trade last season have gigantic ‘road closed’ signs all over them,” Woike reported. “The same is probably true for Daniel Gafford.”
Gafford, who played an important role in helping the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals, is averaging 8.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game this season in 21.1 minutes.
Credit AP - Scanpix
Both his stats and playing time are the lowest in his Mavericks career, partly due to injuries and sharing minutes with Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II before their injuries.
With Dallas unwilling to engage, LA may have to look elsewhere to bolster their frontcourt as they aim to stay competitive in the Western Conference.
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