Right now, all eyes in NBA circles are on Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Dallas Mavericks haven’t been waiting around for the Milwaukee Bucks to trade away the star forward like many other teams are. Instead, they have been ratcheting up their activity ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, as they lured Dusty May from the Michigan Wolverines to come in and be their new head coach on Monday.
May’s impact on the roster is expected to be immediate, as the Mavs are reportedly targeting several Michigan players in the draft. Dallas is armed with a pair of first-round picks (No. 9 and No. 30), but it sounds like the front office isn’t content with its current setup, which could lead it to trade starting center Daniel Gafford in an effort to move up the board.
Mavs Looking to Trade Daniel Gafford
Dallas is shopping Daniel Gafford to try to move up from #30 to top 20 in the draft.
Two years ago, the Mavericks made it all the way to the 2024 NBA Finals, but they ended up losing in five games to the Boston Celtics. That prompted the front office to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the upcoming season, and since then, the Mavs have been in a tailspin.
Dallas has worked hard to effectively erase the Doncic trade from its history. General manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd have both been fired over the past few months, with Masai Ujiri and May being brought in to replace them. The Mavericks were bailed out in some ways when they landed the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, which yielded Cooper Flagg for them, but now they have to build their team around him.
That’s what Ujiri and May will work on accomplishing, and everything will start during the 2026 draft. While Dallas is in a good spot with its first-round picks, it reportedly wants a second top-20 selection. As a result, the team is actively shopping Gafford in an effort to help the team move up from the No. 30 overall pick.
“Over the last hour since the Dusty May news, Michigan’s Aday Mara has suddenly emerged as a very real candidate for the Mavs with the No. 9 pick in tomorrow’s draft, sources told ClutchPoints,” Brett Siegel reported in a post on X. “Dallas is shopping Daniel Gafford to try to move up from #30 to top 20 in the draft.”
Should the Mavs Trade Daniel Gafford?
GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – DECEMBER 03: Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks is injured during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Center on December 03, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Since being picked up in a trade with the Washington Wizards in 2024, Gafford has formed a strong tandem alongside Dereck Lively II in Dallas’ frontcourt. However, even with Lively missing virtually all of the past campaign, Gafford’s numbers dropped (9.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 65.5 FG%), and with the team looking to get younger, it has decided to try and move on from him.
Lively’s injury status is certainly a bit concerning, but the Mavericks are looking to build around Flagg moving forward. At this point in time, Gafford doesn’t really fit the team’s timeline, which is why moving him could make a lot of sense. It remains to be seen if there are any suitors for his services, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Gafford find a new home within the next 24 hours or so.
Mavs Reportedly Aiming to Trade Starting Center Before 2026 NBA Draft