Expectations for the Landlord as he enters his first full season as a Dallas Maverick
The Dallas Mavericks acquired Daniel Gafford in a trade with the Washington Wizards before the deadline in February. When Gafford came to Dallas, there were questions on whether his impact on a tanking franchise would translate to a team playing for something. To put it lightly, Gafford crushed the expectations set before him as he worked his way into the Mavericks’ starting lineup as the regular season concluded.
Acquiring Gafford and PJ Washington allowed the Mavericks to develop a new identity that carried them through their NBA Finals run: destroying their opponents in the paint. Gafford’s ability as a roll-man to catch lobs from anywhere was a huge factor in their identity change (more on this here). His instant chemistry with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving quickly made him a force on the inside for the Mavericks.
Bringing Gafford in also meant that the Mavericks would now be equipped with 48 minutes of rim protection and paint intensity, a once-foreign concept to a team that failed miserably by playing the likes of JaVale McGee, Moses Brown, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Dwight Powell. Having Gafford fill into the minutes where Lively was on the bench, injured, or just didn’t have it going that night was critical to the Mavericks in maintaining the identity that led them to the Finals.
Gafford appeared in 29 regular season games after the Mavericks traded for him. During this time, he averaged 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. The impact he provided was enough for him to quickly be inserted into the Mavericks’ starting lineup, where he remained during the NBA Finals run. This season, while his position in the lineup may change, he will still make an impact on a team with aspirations to return to the biggest stage.
Big Question
According to a previous report over the summer by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Gafford is expected to transition to a bench role to make room for sophomore Dereck Lively in the starting lineup. The probable decision shouldn’t come as any surprise as this was the ultimate intention in drafting Lively in 2023, who more than exceeded expectations in his rookie season. This leaves the key question for Gafford going into next season: does coming off the bench affect his production?
Best Case Scenario
Gafford is the definition of a true professional. In his stint in Washington, he was moved to the bench while former Wizards Coach Wes Unseld Jr. figured out how to use him and our old buddy Kristaps Porzingis. No matter the role he was given, he showed up every night and embraced his spot in the pecking order. Similarly, when the Mavericks traded for Gafford, he had to spend time on the bench while the coaching staff decided which big man would run in the starting five with Doncic and Irving.
Although it is expected that Gafford will return to the bench this season, his duties with the Mavericks will not change. It will still be expected of him to pound the paint and protect the rim when Lively is off the floor. I envision him embracing being the first big off the bench and destroying opposing backup big men and that he will be ready to hear his number called. The ideal scenario for Gafford is that he quickly gels into this new role for the Mavericks and quickly forms chemistry with the Mavericks’ new bench pieces of Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, and Naji Marshall. If this comes to fruition, the Mavericks will continue to have the best big-man rotation in the league.
Worst Case Scenario
When it comes to Gafford’s play, there is not a “worst case scenario” for him this upcoming season. The Mavericks are set up in a way for athletic, defensive big men to succeed. As long as he is healthy, he has been set up for success just on his player archetype alone. If he or Lively were to miss any amount of time, the Mavericks would struggle with replacing that production off the bench, especially defensively.
Season Goal
Over the season, I would like to see Gafford become a better defender in space and continue to improve on his short-roll passing. Although Gafford may never become a better defender when he is pulled away from the paint, I would like to see him become quicker on his feet laterally to be able to stay in front of his man more often.
The longer we saw Gafford in the starting lineup, the more we began to see him pull tricks out of his bag such as showing that he can pass out of the short-roll, an ability that we praise Dereck Lively for. I would like to continue to see him improve in this department as well, which would allow for Mavericks bench lineups to have ample opportunity for more three-point shots, an area they struggled in last season. This also would lessen the gap between the play of Lively and Gafford on the floor.
Overall
No matter where Gafford lies in the Mavericks’ lineup, it’s safe to say we can expect a very similar production from him this season. He is a consummate professional who embraces any role he is given. The value of his ability to quickly build chemistry with his teammates cannot be understated. Not only that but being able to have 48 minutes of rim deterrence and emphatic scoring down low is invaluable. This time next year, I guarantee we will be regarding Gafford as the league’s best backup center.