Daniel Gafford is giving the Mavericks a reason to abandon trade plans

Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban argues that Daniel Gafford's strong start to the season should convince the Dallas Mavericks to abandon plans to trade him. The 28-year-old center is averaging 10.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 75 percent from the field, anchoring the paint effectively on both ends of the floor.

Weber notes that the Mavericks' front office, led by Masai Ujiri, previously explored trade options for Gafford across recent seasons. However, with Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama sidelined by injuries and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. experiencing growing pains, Gafford has provided crucial rim protection and consistency, including a 20-point performance against Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings.