The Los Angeles Lakers could use some talented center depth to bring their team to the next level.
A Lakers trade concept centered on acquiring one of Luka Dončić’s former Dallas Mavericks teammates typically comes from the idea of adding a vertical lob threat and rim-running big to maximize Luka’s playmaking style—and, by extension, improve how Luka-style creators on the Lakers operate in pick-and-roll and transition offense.
In most versions of this rumor or proposal, the target is a Dallas big man or athletic frontcourt player who thrived as a lob finisher in Dallas’ system, someone who can:
Run the floor in transition
Finish above the rim on lobs and dump-offs
Set strong screens for ball-handlers
Protect the rim defensively
Play a low-usage but high-efficiency role
Why the Lakers would consider this type of trade
The Lakers have repeatedly prioritized upgrading their center rotation with a player who can:
Give them vertical spacing (something they’ve lacked at times)
Reduce pressure on their primary creators
Add more reliable interior.
ESPN’s Zach Kram recently floated a trade idea suggesting the Los Angeles Lakers could target Daniel Gafford from the Dallas Mavericks as a potential frontcourt upgrade.
Gafford has become one of the league’s most efficient rim-running centers, and his fit in Dallas alongside Luka Dončić has been especially valuable because of his elite finishing around the basket and ability to operate as a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll.
Why Gafford is being linked to the Lakers
The idea behind the proposal is simple: the Lakers need a reliable athletic center who can:
Finish lobs at a high rate
Run the floor in transition
Provide rim protection
Take pressure off primary creators in half-court offense.
ESPN’s Zach Kram proposed a trade idea in which the Los Angeles Lakers would acquire Daniel Gafford from the Dallas Mavericks, with the suggested return package being Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Kram argues that Gafford would immediately address the Lakers’ ongoing need for a reliable center, even if Deandre Ayton opts into his player option for next season. In his view, the Lakers’ frontcourt remains a clear weakness that needs a proven, high-impact solution rather than another developmental prospect.
“He can rejoin Luka Dončić and thrive once more as a pick-and-roll partner and rim-running threat,” Kram writes. “This deal should be a no-brainer for the Lakers, as they’d address their glaring hole at the center position … with a player who’s a proven fit next to Dončić. Gafford would certainly help the Lakers more next season than any rookie they could draft with the No. 25 pick.”
