Indiana Pacers Interested In Daniel Gafford & Walker Kessler?
We’re hearing from Jean Trirani of ESPN that the Indiana Pacers are looking for a long-term setter. We heard from I’m blinking on the source right now, but that Walker Kesler might be someone they’re looking at, but he’s out for the season. Technically, they could acquire him injured and then have his restricted free agency or maybe they just go after him in restricted free agency as this is I mean, it’s interesting because he’s going to be recovered for the start of the season and the Jazz and the Kessle were unable to reach an agreement on an extension. So, he’ll be 24 years old as a restricted free agent this offcoming or upcoming off season. And Indiana has gotten great play from Jay-Hoff, who’s like averaging like two and a half blocks on like 18 minutes. And Isaiah Jackson and Tony Bradley haven’t been abysmal, but none of them are considered viable long-term centers. So, the one player that I think is obvious, if it’s not going to be Walker, Kesler or anything right here, I think people do need to look at Daniel Gaffford and what he could fit right there. So, I think Daniel Gaffford is someone that they could have interest in. I want to hear your thoughts down below. We’ll talk about both Walker Kesler and Daniel Gaffford in this video. Like, comment, and subscribe. And as I said, they want to have a center for when he comes back. I personally think it’s going to be better for Daniel Gaffford. And these reports are coming from a combination of Jake Fischer that they are interested in Daniel Gaffford as well as being interested in Walker Kesser. Now, I think it’s obvious that the two guys both are different players and they’re going to offer interior presence and being able to anchor the defense. I know some people might be better Walker Kesler fans, but I think Daniel Gaffford emerges as the better fit and a high priority target for the Pacers structure. He provides a traditional rim running high motor five whose elite athleticism and vertical spacing would immediately address two critical needs. Interior defense and a consistent lob threat in the half court and transition. Look, him being an elite vertical spacer and able to be a role man as he possesses a rare blend of quick leap explosiveness and a 7 foot2 wings span. Gaffford is a premier dive and finish target and pick and roll. His ability to play above the rim creates constant rim pressure and simplifies reads for a primary playmaker whether it be Tyrese TJ or Andrew Nemhard. He has the ability to be a high impact rim protector as he has the instinctive shot blocking ability and has strong career numbers, one and a half blocks and 20 minutes per game for the career and provides a legitimate eraser at the basket deterring drives and allowing perimeter defenders to apply more pressure. and he moves well enough to guard some fives and he operates with a specific shot selection that allows for elite efficiency. Yeah, he plays exclusively in the restricted area 5 ft from the basket. This yields a career 71 71% field goal percentage almost and almost 72% true shooting as he just hits reliable high percentage shots and he just has a non-stop motor. He plays with a high energy bluecollar approach and is excellent in sprinting the floor in transition, hunting putback opportunities and playing with consistent physicality that a team like the Pacers would want. Obviously, I think one of the things that people will point out is that Daniel Gaffford does not space the floor. If you keep Jay Huff, that’s not really going to be a huge problem. And I know other people are going to be like, well, the thing with Walker Kesler is that he flashes maybe the potential to space the floor. And I I just I don’t buy it in year four if that I mean, it can happen. Brook Lopez did it, but either one defenses are going to be comfortably drop in coverage against Walker or Gaffford in the pick and roll. And this isn’t a liability. It’s obviously going to limit either one of them’s effectiveness in late game and penalty situations. And the thing is is some might say this season in the limited games we saw he Kesser was a a better passer, but neither is a facilitating facilitating hub from the high post or the short roll. And Gaffford’s had career averages of one assist a game. He’s just a pure finisher requiring the offense to be initiated elsewhere. He lacks the passing feel of a modern offensive hub that you see in like Sabonis and Shigun. So, with that being said, I think he is just someone that you’re bringing in because he plays his role really well. And unlike Kesler, who I think will be targeted in space, Gaffer can be targeted in space when he’s switched on to guards, but he’s better at guarding guards than Kesler is. And either one’s going to be bad at guarding guards due to their high center of gravity and foot speed disadvantage regardless of how athletic Gaffford is. But he isn’t as vulnerable in those types of schemes that will be designed to create isolation mismatches that you see in the playoffs. While Gaffford is a capable rebounder thanks to his athleticism, he can be caught out of position by failing to consistently box out, rely on his length and athleticism and secure possessions, which sometimes is him again using his balance over technique. I will say Kesler is the better rebounder. But Gafford’s also been more in a certain role than just being allowed to have like excess of playing time like Kesler’s had in the rebuilding situations of Utah. Carile system prioritizes pace, efficiency, and disciplined, high IQ execution. I think Gaffford is going to be able to do that. Obviously, there’s some potential friction points. Gaffford is a premier rim runner who would thrive in Carile’s desire to play with tempo, providing an immediate outlet and a trailing threat in early offense. His automatic finishing at the cup provides the Kia kind of high value lowmaintenance offense. Carile covets serving as a pressure release valve when sets break down. There’s going to be a little bit of an adjusting period as Carile has historically valued floor spacing from his five as we’ve seen with Miles Turner in Indiana and then Kristoff Forzing, Dur Noki in Dallas. Gaffford’s lack of jumper would require the surrounding four players to be shooters to maintain optimal driving and passing lanes in half court execution. While the shot blocking is a major asset, Daffer occasionally over aggressive in chasing blocks and can lead to foul trouble and defensive breakdowns. Carile would demand more consistent positional integrity and less gambling within the team scheme. While not currently under Rick Carlile, Gaffford’s recent role in Dallas under Jason Kidd as a pure rim runner law threat protector playing off of Luca Danja Chanel, Kyrie Irving, and Cooper Flag currently provides a blueprint of for how he would be leveraged alongside Hallebert. Tyresese Halburn would offer kind of a tailor made playmaking complimentary piece for each other as Halburn’s elite passing vision, pocket pass accuracy, and gravitational pull on defenders would maximize by Gaffford’s finishing ability. This duo would instantly rank among the league’s most lethal pick and roll duos, adding this vertical dimension that the Pacers offense lacks. Gaffford’s rim protection would mitigate defensive challenges on the perimeter providing Halburn and the guards with a reliable backline defender to clean up penetration and just be this presence. So when I look at it again with Gaffford you get an elite polish rim runner and finisher, great screen setter. Kesler’s an elite rim runner, less proven with like how consistent he is, but he has more potential. I just think Gaffford’s more established and is a proven vertical threat. Defensively, Gaffford’s a great rim protector. Can recover. He can be foulrone. Walker Kesler is an elite rim protector. Superior positioning, fear of fouls. Kesler is the better. Now, contract status. Gaffford’s under a 5year 68.8 $8 million deal. Cost control, team friendly value, while Walker Kesler is a pending restrictive free agent this off seasonason. Cost is unknown and likely going to be competitors. So, I think Gaffford’s a superior fit because he’s proven high motor, favorable contract, ready to be Halleurn’s pick and roll partner from day one. And I think Kesler would just be more of an expenditure and that contractual risk as he’s hurt and we don’t know if it’ll work and what the potential for when he is a consistent player looks like. So when this team is fully healthy, you’d have depending on the trade either would be Benedict Matther and Jarus Walker for Daniel Gaffford or TJ McConnell doing a swap. You’d have Tyrese as the engine primary creator. Gaffford becomes his primary pick and roll partner if they kept Benedict Mathan driving. Scoring is his thing and he’d probably move to a six-man spark. So his rim attacks would collapse defenses creating dump off for Gaffford in the dunker spot or cleaning up on offensive rebounds. Aaron Smith would be the essential 3 and D wing giving that floor spacing to compensate for Gaffford’s lack of shooting. Pascal Seakum the secondary creator and score. His drive and kick game post passing and his ability to draw doubles will create easy looks for Gaffford on cuts, rolls, and if he’s just standing at the dunker spot as he’s just going to be this rim running paint protecting anchor. If Nemard starts, he would be that combo guard who can run the pick and roll with Gaffford and staggered minutes. Obi Toppin would be the combo forward, small ball five, who shares Gaffford’s rim running mentality and can space the floor and play alongside of him. If they kept Jerus Walker traded in, he can just develop behind him and be a guy who can switch and cover for Gaffford whenever he has perimeter lapses. Ben Shepard, Ben Shepard is a movement shooter, 36% career shooting, and he would allow for some spacing. Jay Huff and Isaiah Jackson would give you, you know, backup centers that give you rim running, rim protecting, high motor play, and some floor spacing. So, I just think when you look at it, acquiring Daffford’s a better investment for Halbertton as his roll gravity pins the opposing center to the paint. This action pulls the help defender away from the lane, opening driving lanes for Al Burton and Mathin or whoever else while simultaneously creating cleaner kickout passes to shooters like Neith and Shepard on the weak side. Gaffford’s elite sprint capability on the open floor compliments Halburn’s early offense genius. Andrew Nemhard and TJ McConnell and Rick Carile’s pace philosophy creates easy basket opportunities before the defense is set, fueling the break. Gaffford’s length and athleticism makes him a potent offensive rebounder, extending possessions, providing high percentage putbacks, and giving the team’s creators and shooters extra opportunities. So, I think Daffford just represents a high floor, high impact acquisition that directly addresses a schematic need for rim protecting and vertical offense. And he would fit the supporting cast of shooters to optimize spacing at Rick Carile’s system. His athleticism, defensive presence, and perfect pick and roll synergy with Tyres, Andrew Namhard, and whoever it may be would make him a better option than others. And I think he’s a more executable and financially prudent target than Walker Kesler, providing an immediate return on investment on Halurn’s when now timeline without the long-term cap inflexibility or acquisition uncertainty of a major restrictive free agent investment. So yeah, that’s my thoughts. What do you guys think? Let me know. Cheers.
The Indiana Pacers are hunting for their center of the future—and Dallas big man Daniel Gafford might be the cleanest answer. In this video, Cyro Asseo breaks down how Gafford fits as a long-term Myles Turner replacement, why he makes more sense than Walker Kessler (on the floor and on the books), and how realistic a deal with the Mavericks actually is.
We go 10-man rotation deep: how Gafford’s rim-running, lob threat, and backline defense mesh with Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard, T.J. McConnell and the rest of the Pacers’ core. You’ll get a segment on each player, how Carlisle can stagger lineups, and what a healthy Tyrese Haliburton–Gafford pick-and-roll looks like in a modern spread offense.
Cyro also walks through key trade frameworks (from a simple Gafford–McConnell swap to bigger Mathurin/Jarace packages), explains why Gafford is a better stylistic and financial fit than Kessler, and how this all lines up with Indiana’s “gap year” before pushing back into Finals contention when Haliburton returns.
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