NBA Rumors: The 3 players that Dallas Mavericks have put on the market
The Texas franchise continues to try to rebuild after the fateful trade of Luka Doncic and the acquisition of Cooper Flagg with the number one pick in the Draft
The Dallas Mavericks have fully embraced the era of Cooper Flagg. Since the 19-year-old phenomenon stepped onto the court for the first time last season, the franchise has begun directing all its decisions towards building a team around him. This change in direction could have consequences for several of the team's more veteran players.
Except for Kyrie Irving at the moment, several of the more experienced players from the Mavericks are available on the trade market this summer. According to insider Marc Stein, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford are currently the three veterans that Dallas would be most open to receiving offers for.
Klay Thompson, the main focus of attention
Thompson, who is 36 years old, is entering the final season of his $17.5 million contract with the Mavericks for the 2026-27 campaign. This situation has increased interest around the shooting guard as Dallas considers the possibility of shedding his expiring contract.
The player is weighing his options and has attractive destinations in mind like the Miami Heat and his former team, the Golden State Warriors. Moreover, a Lakers legend is trying to recruit him to move to Los Angeles, where there are also family ties.
The issue for the Lakers is their lack of assets that might be appealing to Dallas. The same difficulty arises in their efforts to acquire Washington or Gafford.
Washington and Gafford are also on the market
P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford will turn 28 before the start of the season and have also been made available to other teams. Among the three, Gafford holds the most market value due to his athleticism to protect the rim and finish near the basket.
The Mavericks already tried to secure a first-round pick in exchange for Gafford around the draft, and according to insider Brett Siegel, it seems they haven't lowered their demands.
"The Mavs continue to make it clear that they will be very open to any deal involving Gafford that brings them a first-round pick," Siegel noted.
If Dallas sticks to that demand, the center is unlikely to be traded. And, for the Mavericks, that might not necessarily be a problem either, as relying solely on Dereck Lively II as the only viable center in the NBA would pose a considerable risk.
Lively has struggled to stay on the court consistently. Last season, he played only seven games, after appearing in 36 during the previous campaign. His development has stagnated since his rookie season, the 2023-24 campaign, where he featured in 55 games, the highest total of his career thus far, though not particularly high.
Dallas prepares for the start of the Cooper Flagg era
The Mavericks continue to adjust their roster for the new era led by Cooper Flagg. Thompson, Washington, and Gafford are the veterans currently garnering much attention in the market, as Dallas keeps seeking ways to move towards a team built around its young star.
And while Irving remains out of the rumors for now, it seems only a matter of time before the point guard also ends up appearing on the trade market.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rumores NBA: Los 3 jugadores que ha puesto Dallas Mavericks en el mercado
