Lakers get good Daniel Gafford trade news

Daniel Gafford is an asset the Los Angeles Lakers would have loved to acquire before the trade season. 

The 6-foot-10 Dallas Mavericks forward played winning and complementary basketball alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas and is the perfect lob threat for the Lakers’ superstar point guard. 

Ultimately, the Lakers didn’t complete a deal for Gafford. However, according to a report from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, the Arkansas product could be a realistic trade target for Los Angeles this summer.

“Between missing the playoffs in 2023 and winning the West a year later, Dallas drafted a rim-running center in Dereck Lively II and acquired another via trade in Daniel Gafford,” Peloton wrote Tuesday.

“The Mavericks also found two defensive-minded forwards in Derrick Jones Jr. (free agency) and P.J. Washington (trade), who also provided enough shooting to space the floor. If Dallas is willing to do business with the Lakers again after firing its general manager who made the Doncic trade (Nico Harrison), Gafford and Washington would be sensible trade targets this summer.”

While Gafford may not be the Lakers’ No. 1 trade target in the summer, he shouldn’t be too far down the list. The 27-year-old continues to lean on his bread and butter despite no longer being teammates with Doncic: running the floor hard in transition, finishing lobs, and blocking shots around the rim. 

Gafford is averaging 8.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game with the Mavericks this season, shooting 63.4% from the field in 37 contests. Reuniting Doncic with Gafford in the offseason would undoubtedly pay dividends for the Lakers.

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