With 16 players under contract, the Los Angeles Lakers must trim their roster to 15 before opening night. A two-for-one trade is an ideal path to get under the limit while addressing a key roster need for JJ Redick’s squad.
The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly open to moving veteran center Daniel Gafford, who was a key piece of the Luka Doncic-led team that reached the 2024 NBA Finals. The following Lakers trade idea reunites Doncic and Gafford in Los Angeles.
Lakers Trade Idea Finalizes Roster
Lakers would receive: Daniel Gafford
Mavericks would receive: Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht, 2031 2nd-round pick (via WAS), 2032 2nd-round pick (via WAS)
The 2-for-1 trade aligns with comments made by Lakers GM Rob Pelinka on Thursday.
“Behind that evaluation of who’s emerging in camp, there’s also consolidation trades that could still be looked at — trading two guys out, bringing one in,” Pelinka said of finalizing the Lakers roster. “There’s a number of ways that that could be addressed.”
Why the Lakers Do It
Walker Kessler (5) and Kevon Looney (16) played a grand total of 21 games for their respective teams last year before signing with the Lakers as free agents. It’s far too risky a proposition for the Lakers to rely on Kessler and Looney to carry their five-man rotation, especially in a Western Conference featuring All-Star big men Victor Wembanyama, Alperen Sengun, Nikola Jokic and Chet Holmgren.
Gafford would be an ideal backup to Kessler, while Looney provides strong insurance as the third-string center to round out a formidable Lakers frontcourt. JJ Redick could even experiment with two-big lineups featuring Gafford and Kessler, especially if Kessler continues to develop his perimeter shot. Crucially, Gafford’s proven chemistry with Luka Doncic makes him an invaluable piece.
Per insider Jake Fischer, the Mavs seek a first-round pick in exchange for Gafford, whose three-year, $54M extension kicks in this season. The Lakers obviously can’t trade any first-rounders but can take Gafford’s contract off the Mavericks’ long-term payroll.
Why the Mavericks Do It
The already-crowded Mavericks front court got more crowded this summer with the additions of Santi Aldama, Zaccharie Risacher and rookies Morez Johnson Jr., and Sergio de Larrea. The quartet will join Gafford, Derreck Lively II, Moussa Cisse, Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall, giving new head coach Dusty May a lot of options.
With Lively projected to start at the five, it makes all the sense in the world for the Mavericks to move on from Gafford, who missed 27 games last year due to injuries. The injury-prone center similarly missed 25 games the year before.
The incoming haul of Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht does not affect Dallas’ long-term plans, as both players can be waived in the summer of 2027. For their trouble, the Mavericks receive two second-round picks via the Washington Wizards.
Lakers Predicted to Land Daniel Gafford in 2-for-1 Trade to Finalize Roster