Jason Kidd gives information on Daniel Gafford’s injuries against the Lakers
The Dallas Mavericks we are expecting a big game on Saturday, a game that will surely cause some emotions, because it is Luka Doncic’s first game at the American Airlines Center this season, and only his second overall since the trade with the Los Angeles Lakers. And the Mavericks are getting ready to have reinforcements in the form of Daniel Gafford’s return from injury, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
After Mavericks practice on Friday, head coach Jason Kidd all but confirmed that Daniel Gafford will return from injury against the Lakers.
“Gaff shot the rounds. He did everything,” Kidd said. “He’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
Gafford has missed the last four games for the Mavericks and five of the last six with an ankle injury. Even so, Gafford’s name has been mentioned in recent weeks amid reported interest from other teams until the NBA trade deadline.
With Mavericks big men in Gafford, Anthony Davis and Derek Lively II all dealing with injuries, his return will be a welcome addition to the team’s frontcourt rotation.
Gafford has appeared in 29 games this season, including 20 starts, while logging just over 20 minutes per game. He averaged 7.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, shooting 62.9 percent from the field and 76.1 percent from the free throw line.
The 38th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Gafford has developed into a solid center in the league. Therefore, it is not surprising that given the current state of the Mavericks, it would attract potential trade interest. But given the Mavericks’ frontcourt woes, it’s unlikely they’d entertain trading him.
2026-01-23 20:51:00
