The New York Knicks could add a veteran center ahead of February’s NBA trade deadline.
The Knicks make sense for Dallas Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford, according to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal. Afseth also mentioned the Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors as teams that could pursue the big man.
“How aggressively those teams pursue an upgrade, and whether Dallas ultimately views moving Gafford as compatible with its current trajectory, remains unresolved,” Afseth wrote.
Gafford has been in and out of the lineup this season due to a right ankle sprain. He’s averaged 8.2 points, six rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 18 games. He signed a three-year, $54.2 million extension with the Mavericks last offseason and is set to make $17.2M this season.
While Gafford has been a productive player in Dallas, he could be viewed as expendable if the Mavericks decide to go in a younger direction and collect assets. Star center Anthony Davis has been frequently mentioned in trade rumors this winter.
“For now, the Mavericks continue to balance short-term competitiveness with longer-term flexibility as league-wide movement begins to crystallize,” Afseth said.
Gafford was acquired by Dallas from the Washington Wizards in February 2024. He quickly cemented himself as a key player for the Mavericks, who made the NBA Finals that season. He’s averaged 9.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in his career.
He would give the Knicks a productive veteran on the interior. New York still needs a proven backup behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
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