Mavericks Planning to Sign Center to $60 Million Extension

The Mavericks are extending one of their centers.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Marvin Bagley III. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks intend to sign center Daniel Gafford to a three-year, $60 million contract extension, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday.

Gafford is coming off his first full season in Dallas. The 6' 10" center was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Mavericks in the middle of the 2023–24 season, and helped Dallas go on to make the NBA Finals that year.

Though the Mavericks are coming off a disappointing season that most notably featured the team shockingly trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Gafford averaged a career-high 12.3 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

As such, Gafford is getting an upgrade off his last contract. When he previously signed an extension in 2021 with the Wizards, it was for three years and $40.2 million total. Now, Gafford is set to make nearly $20 million more overall.

Gafford is expected to continue playing a critical role in the team's frontcourt alongside Anthony Davis and fellow center Dereck Lively II. If the Mavericks do as expected, they'll be joined by consensus top pick of the draft Cooper Flagg later this week.

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