VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Dallas Mavericks have one of the most potent frontcourts in the NBA.
Anthony Davis is at the center of their big-man quartet, all of whom stand at least 6-10, but Daniel Gafford will play a significant role in leading the team back to the playoffs.
The newly turned 27-year-old — as of Wednesday — signed a three-year contract extension worth $54 million during the offseason to remain with the Mavericks through 2028-29.
During Monday’s media day, Gafford took a breath and revealed for the first time why he wanted to stay with the franchise.
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“Whenever I first got here, the atmosphere and the vibe was just completely different from any other team that I’ve been with,” Gafford said.
“Of course, it’s been only two other teams that I’ve been with. I was welcomed in with open arms and ever since the first day, it just felt like the chemistry and the relationships — everything was growing throughout the seasons that I’ve been here.”
Gafford was acquired by the Mavericks during the 2023-24 season after spending his first 4½ seasons in Chicago and Washington, teams that couldn’t qualify for the playoffs. The Mavericks desperately needed an upgrade defensively, while adding an additional big man to pair with rising star Dereck Lively II.
Gafford’s presence inside the paint as a lob threat and rim protector was a significant addition to Dallas’ late-season surge that led to an NBA Finals appearance.
Going into the 2025-26 season, Gafford is a key component of the team’s defense-first identity that began with general manager Nico Harrison trading for him and P.J. Washington.
While some of the Mavericks spent their offseason outside Dallas, Gafford wanted to stay put and rest his body as much as possible. He played in just 57 games last season because of injuries — his lowest since appearing in 54 during his sophomore season in 2020-21.
Gafford will have a sluggish start to this season as he will miss the remainder of training camp and possibly the entire preseason to nurse a sprained ankle suffered during Tuesday’s practice in Vancouver. It’s the first significant test for the Mavericks’ frontcourt as he will miss the next two to three weeks, according to coach Jason Kidd.
Gafford averaged a career-high 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks last season while remaining among the most efficient players in the NBA with a field goal percentage of 70%. His skills would make him an instant starter on several other teams in the league, but the Mavericks have staggered the seventh-year big man, who’s had 52 starts in 86 games in Dallas. Lively has started 71 games through his first two seasons.
How do the two balance the external conversations around their potential to be the Mavericks’ starting big man next to Davis?
“We just ignore it,” Gafford said. “That’s the main thing. I don’t think me or him really has a preference of who starts or who comes off the bench. We just come in and we do our jobs.
“Last year, me and him talked to each other. We said, ‘Look, whoever starts, the person that’s coming off the bench, we just piggyback off what you did and play with the same energy and work to win games.’”
Gafford said the Mavericks’ frontcourt of him, Davis, Lively, Washington and Cooper Flagg can be “really good” if everyone is available.
“We already know what our jobs are,” Gafford said. “We know the energy we have to put into it, the time that we have to work and just everything that we do off the court to be able to maintain that play consistently throughout the year. The main thing is with us, and everybody says it, we just gotta make sure we stay healthy.”
Gafford’s fit has worked well the past two seasons and he could continue to thrive, but he’ll need a quality guard in the pick-and-roll while Kyrie Irving recovers from ACL surgery. In the meantime, he’s found stability in Dallas, which is just over four hours from his hometown of El Dorado, Ark.
“I can get my mom and my parents up here easy,” Gafford said. “Honestly, it’s just like [the Mavericks are] one big, happy family. The energy is good. I don’t feel like it’s anything too tense around the team. We can talk to each other about anything and I feel like our relationships are only going to grow throughout the season.”
On Twitter/X: @MikeACurtis2
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