The Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff exit continues generating discussions about potential roster changes.
After being thoroughly dominated inside by the Minnesota Timberwolves, finding a legitimate center appears to be at the top of the Lakers’ offseason priority list.
NBA analyst Tim MacMahon has proposed an intriguing trade idea that would address this need while potentially leveraging Luka Doncic’s existing chemistry with a former teammate.
‘The Mavericks quietly sniffed around‘ – Is Gafford available
MacMahon suggested the Lakers could target Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, who already has established chemistry with Lakers star Luka Doncic from their time together in Dallas.
“Let me throw one at you. This is pure hypothetical, me trying to be GM, figure out things that might make sense,” MacMahon told The Hoop Collective podcast.
“The Mavericks quietly sniffed around the value of Daniel Gafford before this deadline. It certainly would make sense for them to do that this summer.”
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty ImagesFinancial realities could make this deal work for both sides
The financial aspect also supports MacMahon’s theory, as keeping three highly-paid centers would create salary cap challenges for Dallas.
“Dereck Lively is a year away from getting an extension, Daniel Gafford is entering the final year of his contract, Gafford reasonably and rightly wants to get starting center money,” MacMahon explained.
“You can’t have AD on a max, Lively on a big contract and pay Gafford starting center money.”
MacMahon proposed a package centered around versatile forward Rui Hachimura and draft compensation: “I could at least put something together that would at least be intriguing for the Mavericks
“Rui, all those picks that they’ve got to give up, a swap or two, I can put something together to make sense to both sides.”
While purely speculative, the proposal highlights the Lakers’ need to find a center who can effectively complement their stars and prevent the interior dominance that led to their playoff demise.
Rudy Gobert’s 27-point explosion exposed Lakers’ weakness
The proposal comes after Rudy Gobert dominated the Lakers with 27 points in the series-clinching Game 5, highlighting LA’s vulnerability at the center position with Jaxon Hayes playing limited minutes throughout the series.
The trade makes sense on multiple levels, especially considering the Mavericks’ roster construction with Dereck Lively and Anthony Davis already occupying frontcourt positions.