{"id":119300,"date":"2025-01-21T09:34:49","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T14:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=119300"},"modified":"2025-01-21T09:34:49","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T14:34:49","slug":"mavs-notes-pandemic-gafford-rumors-decision-herb-thybulle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/01\/21\/mavs-notes-pandemic-gafford-rumors-decision-herb-thybulle\/","title":{"rendered":"Mavs Notes: Pandemic, Gafford Rumors\/Decision, Herb, Thybulle\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Mavericks<\/a> are enduring their toughest stretch of the season. Sitting seventh<\/a> in the Western Conference, they are half a game behind the Lakers for sixth and 1.5 games ahead of the Suns and Warriors. This poor run has seen the Mavs win just four of their last 14 games, driven largely by injuries to key players. On the trade front, the Mavs are considering moving Gafford for a premier two-way wing like Herb Jones.<\/p>\n

Mavs Notes: Pandemic, Gafford Rumors\/Decision, Herb Jones, Matisse Thybulle<\/h2>\n

An Injury Pandemic?<\/h3>\n

Luka Doncic\u2019s<\/a> absence looms largest. Out with a left calf strain, Doncic has missed 20 games this season. Despite his limited availability, no Maverick has approached his scoring average of 28.1 points per game. The team looks disjointed without their Slovenian superstar. Encouragingly, the Mavs believe<\/a> Doncic will return before the All-Star break.<\/p>\n

Kyrie Irving<\/a>, while more available than Doncic, has also missed 10 games due to various injuries. His in-and-out presence has disrupted the team\u2019s chemistry. Meanwhile, Dante Exum,<\/a> who revitalized his career with the Mavericks last season, remains sidelined following wrist surgery in October. Head coach Jason Kidd recently announced<\/a> that there is no timetable for his return.<\/p>\n

The injury woes extend to sophomore center Dereck Lively II<\/a>. Lively sustained a right ankle sprain against the Denver Nuggets and has missed the last three games. His absence has been felt on both ends of the floor. Lively, known for his rim protection and rebounding, averages 9.1 points and 7.8 rebounds in 24 minutes per game.<\/p>\n

Gafford\u2019s Rumored Trade and Recent Surge<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Lively sidelined, Daniel Gafford<\/a> has taken center stage, literally and figuratively. Gafford has logged heavy minutes over the past three games, and rumors suggest the Mavericks are shopping him for a two-way wing.<\/p>\n

This news is surprising, given Gafford\u2019s impact since joining Dallas at the 2024 trade deadline. He was instrumental in their Finals run last season, providing rim protection and energy during critical stretches. The Mavericks traded a first-round pick to acquire Gafford from Oklahoma City,<\/a> and his contributions made that investment worthwhile.<\/p>\n

Now, the team seems intent on showcasing his value before the trade deadline. Over the last three games, Gafford has capitalized on increased opportunities. He dropped 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 blocks against<\/a> the Charlotte Hornets.<\/a> Against the Pelicans, he recorded<\/a> 27 points and 12 rebounds. These performances have not only bolstered the Mavericks\u2019 short-term prospects but also elevated Gafford\u2019s stock league-wide.<\/p>\n

The Mavs Targeting Perimeter Defense With Gafford: Herb Jones and Matisse Thybulle<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Mavericks\u2019 are familiar with the benefits of bolstering their perimeter defense. Derrick Jones Jr<\/a> fulfilled this role last season but now he’s on the Los Angeles Clippers. They need one more defensive stopper with size to complement their existing roster. Trading Gafford could help Dallas acquire a wing capable of guarding the league\u2019s best scorers.<\/p>\n

Herbert Jones<\/a> has emerged as the team\u2019s top rumored trade target. Jones, a standout defender, ranked top five<\/a> in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. This season, he is averaging a career-high 1.9 steals per game, proving his continued defensive excellence.<\/p>\n

However, Jones is currently sidelined with a torn labrum and has no clear return date. The Mavericks must weigh the risk of acquiring an injured player. If Jones can recover before the playoffs, his transition to Dallas\u2019 system as a 3-and-D wing should be seamless.<\/p>\n

Matisse Thybulle<\/a> is another potential trade target. Known for his elite perimeter defense, Thybulle could fill the same role as Jones. Both players offer the defensive versatility Dallas desperately needs for a deep playoff run.<\/p>\n

Balancing Risks and Rewards<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Mavericks face a critical decision ahead of the trade deadline. Trading Gafford could address their perimeter defense issue but leaves them a bit thin at center. Moving Gafford would require confidence in alternative options at the five spot.<\/p>\n

Dallas must also consider the long-term implications of adding players like Jones or Thybulle. If Jones returns fully healthy, he could transform the team\u2019s defense. However, integrating a new piece midseason always carries risks.<\/p>\n

The Mavericks\u2019 front office has tough choices to make. Will they prioritize a win-now move to bolster their defense, or will they hold on to Gafford and trust their current core? As the deadline approaches, their actions could define the season\u2014and their championship aspirations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Mavericks are enduring their toughest stretch of the season. Sitting seventh in the Western Conference, they are half a game behind the Lakers for sixth and 1.5 games ahead of the Suns and Warriors. This poor run has seen the Mavs win just four of their last 14 games, driven largely by injuries […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":119311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,30,4721],"tags":[49979,1453,402,4840,749,4112,218,406,1133,1963,4745,662],"class_list":["post-119300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-mavericks","category-trade-rumors","tag-2024-25-nba-season","tag-daniel-gafford","tag-dante-exum","tag-dereck-lively-ii","tag-derrick-jones-jr","tag-herb-jones","tag-jason-kidd","tag-kyrie-irving","tag-luka-doncic","tag-matisse-thybulle","tag-nba-injuries","tag-nba-trade-deadline"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119300"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119314,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119300\/revisions\/119314"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}