Dallas Basketball

Daniel Gafford hurt emotionally after Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to Lakers

The big man was candid in his response about the blockbuster deal.
Keenan Womack|
Oct 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (right) with center Daniel Gafford against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (right) with center Daniel Gafford against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks center Daniel Gafford was brought into the fold at the trade deadline last season, part of an effort to bring the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. He did just that, performing very well alongside rookie big man Dereck Lively II, as the Mavs made their first appearance on basketball's biggest stage since 2011.

After the head-scratching trade that sent star guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers on Saturday night, Gafford was asked about how he felt about the deal, and he was brutally honest about it with reporter Mike Curtis.

"It's tough. I really can't even put it into words, I would say. It's one that hurts, for sure."

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford hugs former guard Luka Doncic.
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford hugs former guard Luka Doncic. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

READ MORE: Luka Doncic reportedly 'seething' at Mavericks for trading him to Lakers

When asked what he will miss the most about the Slovenian superstar, he had this to say: "The type of person he was. He had a lot of character. He was real chill. He was real quiet. He stayed to himself. He just did everything that made himself happy. He had fun with the game and pretty much made everybody around him laugh. Made everybody around him happy. He did what it took to be able to come out here and play winning basketball. It hurts but it's the league, man. It's a business."

In one of the most candid responses about Doncic's departure, Gafford summed up many people's feelings about the deal. Dallas, by all fan responses both in person and on social media, is clearly a city in mourning after losing a homegrown elite talent, someone drafted by the organization in 2018 that watched him grow into the superstar he became.

Doncic was averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game before being injured on Christmas Day, the last game Mavericks fans would ever see him in a Dallas uniform.

READ MORE: Lakers' LeBron James initially thought the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade was fake

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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