Daniel Gafford Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs Notes: Nelson Lawsuit, Gafford, Washington, Exum, Luka

February 21st, 2024 at 8:22am CST by Luke Adams

The wrongful termination lawsuit that former Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson filed against the franchise in 2022 is scheduled to go to trial this December, according to Xuan Thai of ESPN.

Nelson’s lawsuit alleged that he was fired in retaliation for reporting that his nephew was sexually harassed and assaulted by Mark Cuban‘s chief of staff, Jason Lutin, during a job interview on February 16, 2020. Nelson claims that he didn’t find out about the incident until five months after it occurred, by which point the nephew had reached a settlement agreement with the team.

According to Nelson’s lawsuit, he was in discussions with the Mavericks about a contract extension at the time, but those talks came to an abrupt end after he reported the incident to Cuban. He was fired the following year.

The Mavericks vehemently denied the allegations in a series of statements back in 2022 when Nelson initially filed the suit. According to Thai, in their formal response, the Mavs denied that the veteran executive was wrongfully terminated, stating that his dismissal was the result of multiple other factors, including “poor job performance.”

Here’s more from out of Dallas:

The Mavericks are 3-0 and have the NBA’s best defensive rating since trade deadline acquisitions Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington made their debuts. But while Gafford has been playing some of his best basketball since arriving in Dallas, the team is still looking to get Washington going, head coach Jason Kidd said on Tuesday, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “I’ve always talked about getting their feet settled. And I think Gafford, you can see, his feet are settled,” Kidd said. “Now it’s (about) getting P.J.’s feet settled. I think P.J. having family and friends here will help with that. And then being aggressive. We need P.J. to be aggressive and not just wait for (Kyrie Irving) or Luka (Doncic). We need him to play his game too.” Washington has averaged 8.7 points on 40.7% shooting in his first three games as a Mav.
Mavericks guard Dante Exum, who has played just twice since January 1 due to injuries and has been sidelined since January 27 as a result of right knee bursitis, appears to be getting close to returning to action. “No setback,” Kidd said of Exum, per Townsend (Twitter link). “He’s been working out. He’ll do practice (on Wednesday), non-contact. I think the plan is for somewhere on this road trip to get him back.” Dallas’ upcoming four-game road trip begins on Sunday in Indiana and runs through next Friday (March 1).
Does two-time MVP Nikola Jokic believe there’s a scenario in which he and Doncic join forces on an NBA team? Asked that question at All-Star weekend, Jokic said he has no desire to leave Denver but suggested with a laugh that if Luka gets fed up in Dallas, he’s welcome to join him on the Nuggets (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports).

Mavs Notes: Kuzma, G. Williams, Washington, Gafford, Front Office

February 14th, 2024 at 1:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on reports that Kyle Kuzma was nearly traded from the Wizards to the Mavericks last week, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that he believes Dallas was offering two first-round picks to Washington in its proposal for the veteran forward.

One of those first-rounders was almost certainly the 2024 pick that Dallas acquired from Oklahoma City, which will likely end up being the more favorable of the Clippers’ and Thunder’s first-rounders. According to Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective, the Mavs and Thunder “very quietly” agreed to the deal involving that pick several days before the trade deadline, even though it wasn’t reported until Thursday.

The second first-rounder the Mavs offered for Kuzma would’ve presumably been their own 2027 pick, which was ultimately sent to Charlotte in the P.J. Washington deal instead, with top-two protection.

Windhorst, MacMahon, and ESPN’s Tim Bontemps agree it’s probably safe to assume the Mavs were looking to include Grant Williams in that potential Kuzma trade, which means the proposal might have been something like Williams, Richaun Holmes, a 2024 first-round pick, and the Mavs’ 2027 first-rounder for Kuzma. It’s unclear whether the ’27 pick would’ve had the same light protection that Dallas agreed to in its deal with Charlotte.

Ultimately, after the Wizards decided not to move forward on the Kuzma trade, Dallas ended up sending one of those first-rounders and Holmes to Washington in exchange for Daniel Gafford, completing separate deals with the Wizards and Hornets rather than just a single trade for Kuzma.

Here’s more on the Mavericks:

After winning his first game with the Hornets, Williams raised some eyebrows with his postgame comments, which could’ve been interpreted as a shot at his former team in Dallas, notes Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “It’s great to get a win for the city and play for the jersey that’s across your chest, not on your back,” Williams told reporters. “Everybody touched the ball, we trusted one another, a team that never played, practiced together, every single person seemed like they had each other’s back.” MacMahon reported after the deadline that Williams had “personality clashes” and “rubbed a lot of people the wrong way” during his half-season with the Mavs, adding in the latest Hoop Collective podcast that the forward reported to Dallas out of shape this past fall.
Tim Cato, Josh Robbins, and Dave DuFour take a closer look at how Washington and Gafford will fit in Dallas, examining what the two newcomers will and won’t be able to do for the team.
New Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont spoke to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) about the hierarchy within the front office under the new ownership group. While reports have indicated that Mark Cuban retained his control of basketball operations, Dumont didn’t exactly confirm that. “The way the structure works, just formally, is that I am the governor,” Dumont said. “The league wants one person to speak to, so that’s me. But I intend to get the benefit of Mark’s experience and his success. So working with him is actually a benefit to our organization. And that’s how I see it. Nico Harrison is the GM. He is the head of basketball operations. So we all get the benefit of working with Mark, but there’s one GM. That’s Nico.”

Wizards Notes: Kuzma, Gafford, Jones, Holmes, Arena Battle

February 13th, 2024 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

After previously reporting that the Wizards nearly traded Kyle Kuzma to Dallas at last week’s deadline, Josh Robbins of The Athletic says head of basketball operations Michael Winger actually informed the forward that the general framework of a deal sending him to the Mavericks was in place. Winger didn’t necessarily love the return, so when Kuzma told him he’d prefer to stay in D.C., the Wizards decided not to move forward with it.

“There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me,” Kuzma told Robbins. “Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn’t want to trade me and kind of left the decision up to me a little bit and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to stay and continue to build something. And that was kind of the end of it.”

“… In my career, I won a championship,” Kuzma said in explaining why he opted against being traded to the Mavericks. “So, I understand that when we play this game of basketball it’s not about contending for a playoff spot. It’s about contending for an NBA championship. There’s only like three or four contenders — true contenders. I just felt like our timelines didn’t line up.”

As Robbins explains, Kuzma’s contract doesn’t include a no-trade clause, but the Wizards pledged to him and agent Austin Brown when re-signing him last offseason that unless they got a trade offer too good to refuse, they’d listen to his input when considering whether to move him. It’s unclear what the Mavericks offered for Kuzma, but it clearly didn’t blow Washington’s front office away.

“Kyle’s an important player for us and (a) significant contributor to our developing culture,” Winger told Robbins. “His commitment is necessary for us to achieve our competitive and environmental objectives. Under the circumstances, I wanted to check in with his belief to continue leading us. He reemphasized his desire to forge ahead, and we’re honored to have him.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

After failing to agree to terms on a Kuzma deal, the Wizards and Mavericks pivoted in their discussions and completed a trade sending Daniel Gafford to Dallas. The big man scored 16 points and matched a career-high with 17 rebounds in a victory for his new team over his old one on Monday, writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. “Gaff’s got the easiest job in sports now,” Kuzma joked after the game. “Everybody’s just going to double (Luka Doncic), he’s going to catch the ball in the middle of the key, and he’s just got to make the right play, either pass it or dunk it. 16 and 17 in 24 minutes, that’s tough. That’s tough. Happy for him, very happy for him.”
As with Kuzma and his representatives, the Wizards had ongoing conversations with Tyus Jones and his agent Kevin Bradbury in the days leading up to last Thursday’s deadline about possible trades, according to Robbins. Jones said he appreciated the “open and honest” approach from the franchise, which reportedly has interest in re-signing him this summer. “I take a tremendous pride in being a leader in this locker room and being a leader on this team and for this organization,” Jones said. “So, for the front office to continue to trust in me and believe in me, I appreciate that, and we’re going to continue to take steps forward here.”
Richaun Holmes, traded from Dallas to Washington in the Gafford deal, made his Wizards debut on Monday against his old team, scoring 10 points in 13 minutes. He spoke over the weekend about what he’ll bring to D.C., as Chase Hughes of the Monumental Sports Network relays. “Just toughness, especially on the interior,” Holmes said. “Whether that’s rebounding or scoring, protecting the paint. Trying to bring toughness and camaraderie. Talk to those guys, help them on the backline on defense as well as freeing them up with screens on offense, rolling to the rim and finishing.”
The Wizards’ plans to build a new arena in Alexandria, Virgina have hit a snag, according to reports from Sarah Rankin of The Associated Press and Laura Vozzella and Meagan Flynn of The Washington Post. Senator L. Louise Lucas said on Monday that she has serious concerns about the public financing involved in the proposed deal and considers the bill “dead,” while D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser reiterated that she intends to enforce the Wizards’ lease agreement with Capital One Arena in Washington.

Mavs Notes: Gafford, Washington, Dumont, Williams, Draft Picks

February 11th, 2024 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The trade deadline additions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington make the Mavericks a deeper and more explosive team, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). The new-look roster thrived in Gafford’s and Washington’s Dallas debut on Saturday as the Mavs scored a franchise-record 47 points in the first quarter and blew out the Thunder by a score of 146-111.

“There’s going to be nights when we shoot 45 to 47 threes, and there’s going to be nights where we can dominate the paint as we did today,” head coach Jason Kidd said after the win, adding that he’s already thinking about how to manage the frontcourt duo of Gafford and Dereck Lively once the rookie center gets healthy. “… It’s good to have these options. Because we didn’t have these options earlier.”

Luka Doncic, who scored 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting in just 31 minutes, embraced the newcomers, as Townsend writes. Three of Doncic’s nine assists were on baskets by Gafford, whom Luka referred to as the sort of backup center “I’ve wanted for like three years.”

“It means a lot because it gives me the opportunity to show what I’m good at,” Gafford said. “Running the floor. Running the floor. Catching lobs. Rebounding. Screaming. At the end of the day I’m just doing my job and pretty much he was helping me to my job tonight.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

New Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont isn’t just a businessman who views the team as a passive investment, according to Townsend (subscription required), who spoke exclusively to one of the key members of the new ownership group about his basketball fandom, his involvement in the team’s roster machinations, and his hopes to build a new Dallas-area arena and entertainment resort. Townsend shares more of Dumont’s comments on that prospective arena and casino-resort in a separate story.
Appearing on 97.1 FM in Dallas with Marc Stein on Saturday (Twitter link via Mavs Film Room), Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison pushed back on a report from Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who said that Grant Williams had “personality clashes” and “rubbed a lot of people the wrong way” in Dallas. “Grant doesn’t deserve the negativity he’s getting on social media,” Harrison said. “… He was a good teammate.”
The second-round draft picks the Mavericks received in their trade with the Hornets are Boston’s 2024 pick and the least favorable of the Hornets’ and Clippers’ 2028 picks, MacMahon confirms (Twitter link).
If the top-two protected 2027 first-round pick the Mavericks sent the Hornets in that same trade ends up at No. 1 or 2 and Dallas keeps it, Charlotte will instead receive Miami’s 2028 second-round pick, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

Mavs Notes: Kuzma, Newcomers, Williams, Luka, Dinwiddie, Green

February 9th, 2024 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards came close to accepting a trade offer for forward Kyle Kuzma this week, team sources tell Josh Robbins of The Athletic. While those sources didn’t identify the team Washington was talking to, reporting from The Athletic suggests it was the Mavericks. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN also stated during The Woj Pod on Thursday (YouTube link) that Dallas was trying to get Kuzma from Washington earlier in the week.

The Wizards were seeking a “home-run” return for Kuzma rather than simply a fair offer, according to Robbins, so the Mavericks shifted their focus and ultimately came away with P.J. Washington from the Hornets in addition to Daniel Gafford in a separate deal with Washington.

The trade with Charlotte sent out Grant Williams, whom the Mavericks signed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $53MM contract in a sign-and-trade last summer, giving up unprotected swap rights to their 2030 first-round pick as part of that transaction.

While Thursday’s deals improved their roster, making that sort of investment in Williams, only to trade him several months later after his value had declined, represents a “massive whiff” for the Mavs, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. MacMahon stated on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast that there were “personality clashes” involving Williams in Dallas and that the Mavs seemed “determined” to move him.

“He rubbed a lot of people the wrong way,” MacMahon said.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Luka Doncic was “very enthusiastic” about the idea of the Mavs acquiring Washington, according to Wojnarowski, who suggests that was likely one factor motivating Dallas to get the deal across the finish line.
The Mavericks have an open spot on their 15-man roster and general manager Nico Harrison indicated on Thursday they’ll continue exploring ways to upgrade the roster, including on the buyout market, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. According to Townsend (Twitter link), the belief within the organization about Dallas’ odds of landing Spencer Dinwiddie, who sat near the Mavs’ bench during Thursday’s game in New York, ranges from “cautious optimism to confident.”
Tim Cato of The Athletic explores how Washington and Gafford will fit in Dallas, pointing out that – since both players are still just 25 years old and are under contract for multiple seasons beyond this one – their value as trade assets should remain strong if the Mavs decide to move them down the road.
Confirming previous reporting, Cato cites league sources who say the Hornets had initially been unwilling to trade Washington to the Mavericks without getting Josh Green back, but relented on that stance in the final hours leading up to the deadline.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic also assesses the Mavericks’ two deadline deals, expressing some reservations about the move for Washington but dubbing the Gafford acquisition a major win.

Wizards Trade Daniel Gafford To Mavericks

February 8th, 2024 at 7:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:12pm: The trade sending Gafford to the Mavericks in exchange for Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick is official, the Wizards announced in a press release.

Washington will be receiving the second-least favorable of the Thunder’s, Clippers’, Rockets’ (top-four protected), and Jazz’s (top-10 protected) 2024 first-rounders.

12:11pm: The Mavericks will be acquiring the Thunder’s second-least favorable 2024 first-round pick in order to reroute it to the Wizards, reports Stein (Twitter link). Details on that separate deal can be found right here.

10:25am: The Mavericks are nearing a deal to acquire Daniel Gafford from the Wizards in exchange for Richaun Holmes and draft picks, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Dallas has been in the market for another big man and lands a reliable rim protector in Gafford, who has been Washington’s starting center for the better part of the last three seasons. The 25-year-old is posting career highs across the board with 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks through 45 games.

Gafford is under contract on a team-friendly deal at $12.4MM this season, $13.4MM next season and $14.4MM for 2025/26. He will fortify the Mavericks’ front court and will likely split time at center with rookie Dereck Lively II.

Holmes, 30, was acquired from the Kings last offseason but never established himself as part of the Mavs’ rotation. He appeared in 23 games, starting two, and averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per night. He’s making $12MM this year and holds a $12.9MM player option for next season.

The Mavericks are trying to acquire draft assets from other teams so they can send them to Washington to complete the trade, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Stein adds that Dallas is close to a deal with the Thunder for draft compensation that will be relayed to the Wizards (Twitter link).

No Deadline Deals Involving Lakers, Cavs, Hawks, Bulls, Others

February 8th, 2024 at 4:14pm CST by Rory Maher

While we certainly saw a flurry of activity prior to today’s trade deadline, seven teams didn’t make any moves at all over the past week, observes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). That group features the Lakers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Bulls, Magic, Heat, and Pelicans.

Miami and New Orleans made previous trades this season, but the other five teams did not.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN and Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter links), the Lakers were actively involved in trade talks, but decided any deal would have been a “marginal upgrade” with a prohibitive cost. L.A. plans to be “aggressive” in the buyout market, however, and will have up to three first-round picks to trade this summer, versus the one it had available during the season.

As Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times writes, Dejounte Murray and Alex Caruso were among the players the Lakers were interested in, but they decided the Hawks’ and Bulls’ asking prices were too steep.

The Cavs — the league’s hottest team — “believe strongly” in the roster they’ve constructed, and they also have a pair of standard roster spots open to peruse the buyout market, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).

The Hawks were reportedly aggressive in proposing trade concepts, yet decided to keep the roster they have, despite their mediocre 22-29 record. Murray was the player most prominently featured in rumors from Atlanta’s roster.

The 24-27 Bulls also decided to stand pat, with center Andre Drummond among the players they retained, confirms Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).

According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, the Magic’s front office “did its due diligence” in evaluating the market, but it likes the current roster and wanted to maintain continuity ahead of a potential postseason push. Orlando is currently 27-24.

The Raptors made a handful of trades this season, including two on Thursday, yet one player who many expected to be on the move remains on the roster. Toronto decided to hang onto Bruce Brown past the deadline, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The rebuilding Wizards were viewed as sellers ahead of the deadline, and they did trade Daniel Gafford to Dallas. But they also decided to keep veteran guards Tyus Jones and Delon Wright, two players featured in plenty of trade rumors, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Mavs Acquire 2024 First-Round Pick From Thunder For 2028 Swap

February 8th, 2024 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have acquired a 2024 first-round pick from the Thunder in exchange for a future draft pick swap, both teams announced today. Oklahoma City will have the ability to swap its own 2028 first-round selection for Dallas’ ’28 first-rounder.

The Mavs, in turn, will flip that newly acquired ’24 first-round pick to the Wizards in the Daniel Gafford/Richaun Holmes trade, as was previously reported.

The pick that will head to Washington by way of Dallas will be the second-least favorable of the Clippers’, Thunder’s, Rockets’, and Jazz’s 2024 first-rounders.

The Thunder projected to have multiple picks in the first round of the 2024 draft and were unlikely to use them all, so they’ll push one of those assets down the road, betting on their odds to place ahead of the Mavs in the standings in 2028 and take advantage of that swap.

Conversely, the 2024 first-round pick is more valuable to the Wizards than a 2028 swap would have been, since they’re in the rebuilding process and want to add young talent sooner rather than later.

Stein’s Latest: Kuzma, Mavs, Sexton, B. Brown, Celtics

February 2nd, 2024 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on a report from The Athletic which cited Wizards sources who suggested that the team’s asking price for Kyle Kuzma may be “somewhat overblown,” Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story that the Washington forward is a trade candidate worth keeping a close eye on in the final week leading up to the February 8 trade deadline.

According to Stein, while the Kings and Mavericks are the suitors most frequently linked to Kuzma, there will likely be other suitors due to his “offensive versatility and favorable contract.” Kuzma is owed more than $64MM for the three seasons beyond this one, but his cap hits decline over the life of the deal, so he’ll count for just $19.4MM toward team salary by 2026/27.

Stein confirms that the Mavericks have consistently conveyed interest in Kuzma and notes that he’s not the only Wizards player Dallas has had its eye on. The team has also made previous runs at center Daniel Gafford and forward Deni Avdija, per Stein.

Here are a few more items of interest from Stein’s latest round-up of trade rumors:

While Jordan Clarkson, Kelly Olynyk, and Talen Horton-Tucker continue to be described as potential trade candidates, Collin Sexton may not belong in that group, according to Stein, who hears from league sources that the Jazz guard is a longer shot to be dealt. Sexton is playing some of the best basketball of his career in the 27 games since he entered Utah’s starting lineup in mid-December, averaging 21.6 points and 5.5 assists in 27.4 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .506/.420/.879.
The Raptors haven’t lowered their asking price for Bruce Brown and continue to seek a first-round pick for the veteran guard, Stein says. It’s typically difficult to extract a first-rounder for a role player on an expiring contract, but Brown does have a $23MM team option for 2024/25, so if a potential suitor views him as a two-season investment, it’s possible Toronto gets the draft pick it’s seeking.
The Celtics continue to peruse the trade market for a frontcourt addition, but they’re only willing to move players on “the most nominal contracts,” Stein writes. Outside of Boston’s usual starting five, Al Horford and Payton Pritchard are the only players earning more than the veteran’s minimum, so it sounds like those seven players will likely be off-limits.
In case you missed it, we passed along some Nets-related tidbits from Stein on Thursday evening.

Scotto’s Latest: Jones, Wright, Wizards, Hyland, Tucker, Hawks

January 31st, 2024 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones, Daniel Gafford, Delon Wright, and Landry Shamet are among the Wizards who have generated exploratory trade interest so far this season, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

According to Scotto, the Wizards are seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Jones, and ideally one beyond 2024 that would have a chance to become a top-20 selection down the road. That would be a high price to pay for a player who is on an expiring contract and likely wouldn’t be a starter on a new team, so it will be interesting to see if Washington lowers its demands by next Thursday or plays hardball with potential trade partners.

While the Wizards have also reportedly set high asking prices for Kuzma and Gafford, who are under contract for multiple seasons beyond this one, Wright and Shamet – who aren’t owed guaranteed money beyond this year – appear more attainable. League sources tell Scotto that Wright is expected to generate offers consisting of second-round draft compensation.

The Wizards, who have plenty of room to operate below the luxury tax line, are also open to using their available traded player exceptions to accommodate salary dumps from teams willing to attach young players or draft picks, Scotto writes. As our tracker shows, Washington has six TPEs, including one worth over $12MM and another worth nearly $10MM.

Here are several more items of interest from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:

The Wizards are expected to be “open-minded” and cast a wide net when they launch their search for a permanent head coach this spring, says Scotto, noting that the early expectations around the NBA is that the team will end up hiring a first-time coach for its rebuild.
The Clippers are gauging the value of Bones Hyland and P.J. Tucker on the trade market, league sources tell Scotto. If Tucker isn’t moved at the deadline, he’s not expected to discuss a buyout, Scotto adds. Most buyout candidates are on expiring contracts, whereas Tucker’s deal includes an $11.54MM player option for next season.
Some of the trade chatter surrounding Hawks guard Dejounte Murray has quieted down as of late, according to Scotto, who says Atlanta’s desire to acquire two first-round picks and to not take on salary beyond this season in a Murray trade has complicated negotiations so far.
Elsewhere on the Hawks front, rival executives and league sources who have spoken to Scotto believe that Atlanta wants to hang onto swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic through the trade deadline. Bogdanovic is averaging a career-best 17.1 points per game off the bench this season and is under team control for three more years beyond this one.