Daniel Gafford spent a chunk of his morning at The Sportsplex at Valley View, footsteps from where the Dallas Mavericks plan to build their multi-billion-dollar arena and entertainment district.
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The Mavericks center was the special guest for Friday’s GEM Hoop Camp for 17 young girls aged 7-14. After autographs, a series of light basketball drills and the popular game of knockout, Gafford fielded questions about his offseason and the sudden change within the organization since Masai Ujiri was hired as team president.
Mavericks center Daniel Gafford cheers with the members of the Mavs GEM All Girls Camp, on Friday, June 5, 2026 in Dallas. (Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News)
Injuries hindered Gafford during his seventh NBA season. He played in just 55 games, some through the pain of a right ankle sprain he suffered on the first day of training camp. He also had right shoulder impingement, which led to him missing the final four games of the regular season. One would presume Gafford would be 100% healthy, exactly two months removed from his last game April 5, but that’s not the case yet.
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“I’m getting there,” he said. “The rehab is good. I’m staying consistent. I’m holding myself accountable to just take care of my body. The main part of it was the mental side. I wanted to make sure my mental side was good, to be able to have the right approach to take care of the ankle and the stuff I had going on with the shoulder.”
There are over three months left until the Mavericks reconvene for training camp, which gives Gafford plenty of time to recover from his injuries. Much has transpired since he last played an NBA game, including the overhaul of the front office. Upon Ujiri’s appointment as president of basketball operations, he hired Mike Schmitz as general manager, secured the No. 9 pick in this month’s draft and fired head coach Jason Kidd.
Impressions of Ujiri
Gafford was asked for his impressions of Ujiri and the changes he’s made over the last month.
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“It is a business,” Gafford said. “I’m not necessarily surprised when it comes to some of the things that he’s done with the organization because I’m pretty sure he already had that kind of in his back pocket when he got hired here. I’m just sitting back and watching from afar. … They have their own mindsets coming into a new organization. That’s one thing he’s doing. I’ve yet to get the chance to sit down and talk with him, but he did make sure he called me and we had a good conversation on the phone. I’m excited for the season.”
There haven’t been any roster changes, but that can change quickly with the NBA draft 18 days away. The Mavericks also have four unrestricted free agents and a team option to decide for Ryan Nembhard. Not to mention, Ujiri and Schmitz will have to figure out which veterans are best suited to remain with the franchise as it builds around Cooper Flagg. Most of this iteration of the Mavericks were designed to play around Luka Doncic, who is no longer with the team, along with Kidd.
Seven head coaches in eight seasons
Last summer, Gafford signed a three-year extension beginning this season and running through 2028-29. If he returns to the team, he’ll do so under his seventh head coach in eight seasons. He played under Jim Boylen and Billy Donovan in Chicago; Scott Brooks, Wes Unseld and Brian Keefe in Washington; and Kidd in his 2½ seasons in Dallas.
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What does he desire in a new head coach?
“Really just somebody that can hold me accountable, push me to be the best player that I can be, night in, night out and just let me be me,” he said. “Not necessarily just going out there and dribbling and all of that, but just let me be me. Tell me all of the things I need to do, give me my job description out the gate and nine times out of 10, I’m going to step up to the plate and hopefully I don’t disappoint.”
Gafford totaled 9.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks last season, right around his career averages of 9.3 points and 5.8 boards with 1.5 rejections per game. It’s a long way from what he’s capable of, since he recorded a career-high 12.3 points with 6.8 rebounds in 2024-25. He’s an asset when healthy, given his strengths as a lob threat and rim protector. His presence is even more valuable when Dereck Lively II is unavailable, given his injury misfortune over the last three seasons.
The new Mavericks brass will have some big decisions to make, especially once the draft concludes. First thing, they’ll need to find a new coach.
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“The sky’s the limit for us, and I’m ready for whatever coach we have,” Gafford said. “I’m gonna always be coachable. I’m gonna always do what’s needed of me and just keep it pushing.”
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