Mavericks may be forced to make tough decision on starting center

Anthony Davis got something he wanted when he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the surprising Luka Doncic deal: not having to play full-time center. It's something he'd been asking from the Lakers' front office for the last few years, but they weren't able to give it to him for whatever reason.

In Dallas, Davis got to play alongside Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II when everyone was healthy. While the offense with two bigs in the frontcourt could look sluggish, it's how Davis wants to play. But that may not be a long-term option.

Mar 31, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

ESPN's Tim MacMahon revealed that the Mavericks may be forced to move from Daniel Gafford in the near future, though.

"The Mavericks quietly sniffed around on the value of Daniel Gafford before this last [trade] deadline," MacMahon revealed on the "Hoop Collective" podcast," it certainly would make sense for them to do that again this summer. Dereck Lively is a year away from getting an extension, Daniel Gafford is entering the final year of his contract, Gafford reasonably and rightfully wants to get starting center money… You can’t have AD on a max, Lively on a big contract, and pay Gafford starting center money."

“…[Mavericks C] Daniel Gafford is entering the final year of his contract, Gafford reasonably and rightly wants to get starting center money. You can’t have AD on a max, Lively on a big contract and pay Gafford starting center money." - @espn_macmahon #MFFL

(🎥: @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/9n0QemGeNI
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) May 10, 2025

MacMahon mentions that former Maverick Luka Doncic has great chemistry with Gafford, with there even being some chatter that Gafford wanted to play on the Slovenian national team with Doncic last summer. And after Luka Doncic's return to Dallas, he could be seen telling Gafford that they'll play together again.

Nico Harrison would be a brave man to re-engage the Lakers on a trade after he was swindled by Rob Pelinka the first time. Anything less than a return of Austin Reaves wouldn't feel like enough.

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