December 15th is a big day on the NBA calendar, as it is the day that most players who signed contracts in the offseason become eligible for trade. With that day having come and gone, trade season is unofficially open for business.
According to reports, the Toronto Raptors are wasting no time in trying to identify upgrades to their roster. They have already been rumored to be interested in Dallas’ Anthony Davis. But according to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg, the Raps may actually be more interested in Mavericks
big man Daniel Gafford.
Trading a player such as Davis is going to be a tall task for a number of reasons. Contractually, his massive salary is tough to move when many teams are at or above the first apron of the salary cap. When you are an apron team, of which the Mavericks and many of the rumored destinations for AD are, you must make the money match to comply with the cap regulations.
Gafford only makes about a quarter of what Davis does. Now, no one is going to tell you that they are comparable players. Even the staunchest of Anthony Davis non-believers wouldn’t try to sell you on that one. But Gafford is a quality big that would contribute on most contending teams. After all, it was only 18 months ago when Daniel Gafford was starting on a team that went to the NBA Finals. If Gafford can stay healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t contribute to a winner once again.
What Gafford is worth on the open market is a much different question. The Mavericks, if you remember, traded a first-round pick to the Wizards in 2024 to acquire the big man. Is that still what his market is? I’m sure the Mavericks will be asking for that, but time will tell what Gafford will command on the open market. The Mavericks would be smart to sell at this trade deadline. However, the price must be right for them to move on from most of these guys. Gafford is no exception.
