The Dallas Mavericks and center Daniel Gafford are closing in on what is expected to be a three-year, $54 million contract extension, a team source confirmed to The Athletic.
Gafford, who helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals in 2024, had one year remaining on his contract worth $14.4 million. His extension, when it is signed, will keep him under contract through the 2028-29 season.
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Gafford has been part of one of the NBA’s strongest frontcourt units during his time in Dallas. He started the Mavericks’ first 11 games of the season, moved to the bench, then returned to a starting role after Dereck Lively II went down with a right ankle fracture in January.
Gafford averaged 15.1 points (70.9 percent shooting), 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks between Jan. 15 and Feb. 10. He was playing some of the best basketball of his career before he suffered a right knee sprain in a February home game against the Sacramento Kings, which caused him to miss more than a month of action.
The 26-year-old Gafford was previously with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards before the Mavericks acquired him ahead of the trade deadline in February 2024.
Ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, the Mavericks traded Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis, with the intention of starting Davis at power forward next to Gafford or Lively at center. Dallas blocked a franchise-record 18 shots in the first game Davis and Gafford played together, a Feb. 8 home win over the Houston Rockets. But Davis injured his left adductor in that game, and he missed the next six weeks of action.
The Mavericks, who are expected to take Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick on Wednesday, will have a bevy of talented frontcourt players under contract for next season. Flagg, P.J. Washington and Davis are all options for Dallas at forward. Gafford and Lively are both capable starting centers.
The Mavericks still have work to do this offseason in upgrading their backcourt. Kyrie Irving, who tore his ACL in February, won’t be back on the floor until 2026. Dallas has one point guard under contract for next season expected to be healthy during training camp. That’s Brandon Williams, who was elevated from a two-way deal to a standard contract in March.
This story will be updated.
(Photo: Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
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