Exactly 77 days after Luka Doncic was practically forced to leave, the Dallas Mavericks’ tumultuous 2025 season saw a premature end. Losing 120-106 to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-In, the result made them the 11th NBA team in history to miss the playoffs after a Finals run the season prior. So yes, most would agree, like Yahoo Sports‘ Morten Stig Jensen did, that the trade was most definitely
Nico Harrison himself admitted how the move perhaps failed to execute what was intended. “The way we looked at it, is if you’re putting a team on the floor that’s Kyrie (Irving), Klay (Thompson), P.J. (Washington), Anthony Davis and (Dereck) Lively. We feel that’s a championship caliber team, and we would’ve been winning at a high level and that would have quieted some of the outrage…Unfortunately we weren’t able to do that, so it just continued to go on and on,” he had said before adding how to make it work: “Really, we just need to get healthy. I think the team we’re bringing back is a championship caliber.
Heads up: The GM had no idea how wrong he would be. After the Mavs fired director of player health and performance Casey Smith in August 2023, the ripple effects were felt this injury-cursed season—only adding to the discourse about Harrison’s yet another shortfall. And now, maybe (just maybe) he can try to pull off another controversial move. One that might end up making Luka Doncic smile under his breath.
In February, Pelinka and Nico Harrison shook hands on Doncic’s mega trade as Ascension Cafe. And now, in a new twist in the story (more of a speculation, if you will) Dallas and the Lakers could shake hands again. LA’s roster is missing a center, and the Mavericks are supposedly looking into trading their center, Daniel Gafford, in the offseason. On May 1, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon chose to become a pseudo, “amateur” general manager on the Hoop Collective podcast, quietly revealing, “The Mavericks kind of quietly sniffed around about the value of Daniel Gafford before this last deadline. It certainly would make sense for them to do that again this summer.
He further added, “Dereck Lively is a year away from getting an extension. Daniel Gafford is entering the final year of his contract. Gafford, reasonably and rightfully, is going to want to get paid starting center money. You can’t have AD on a max, Lively on a big contract, and pay Gafford starting center money.”
Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford will cost the Mavericks a combined $73.77 million in 2025–26. That’s nearly 48% of the $154.6 million salary cap. Meanwhile, it’s 39.2% of the $187.9 million tax line. However, the Mavs could afford to make their finances a bit more flexible if Nico Harrison and Rob Pelinka sit at Ascension Coffee again this offseason. Why
Luka’s obviously got chemistry with Gafford. I don’t know if Nico wants to go back to Ascension Coffee and have another chit-chat with Rob Pelinka so soon, or do something that would benefit,” Tim MacMahon also noted. Notably, this comes days after Bailey Bassett from ClutchPoints proposed the same idea: Reunite Doncic with Gafford in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, and a 2031 first-round pick.
What gives the rumors more wings is what the Slovenian player reportedly told Gafford after his first game vs the Mavericks since the trade: “We’ll play again. We’ll play again.” Well, who would’ve thought that the Mavs could trade Luka Doncic in the first place? However, that deal was done right at that coffee shop. And now, if Gafford is also traded to the Lakers, you have no reason to be surprised. It would rather be a two-way benefit as LA would get its center and the Mavs financial relief.
With Gafford’s $14.4 million expiring, Dallas may seek a cheaper backup to Lively II. If Anthony Davis stays, there’s little room left for Gafford. Meanwhile, with Kyrie Irving out, flipping Gafford for a guard could be wise.
And so, Rob Pelinka sees a flicker of hope after playoff despair. Meanwhile, did you know that Rudy Gobert once wished to play with Luka
In the 2024 WCF, Luka Doncic sized up a shocked Rudy Gobert on the final possession. Hitting a devastating step-back 3-pointer, sealing the deal to play in the Finals against the Boston Celtics. And well, the French big man took his sweet revenge on the Lakers and Luka in the 2025 Playoff series, pinning the Rob Pelinka’s boys with a 4-1 record. However, this competitive setup hasn’t affected Rudy’s unique desire.
Tim MacMahon revealed that the 4x DPOY once wished to play alongside Doncic. “You know who was actually once pretty excited about the potential of playing with Luka? It’s pretty funny. Rudy Gobert,” MacMahon confirmed. “When it was pretty obvious that he wanted to spend his whole career in Utah, but when it was pretty obvious that might not be the way things were going.
Last year, Dallas was a top, his kind of silent list of preferred destinations. There was a time when Mark Cuban and Nico Harrison were both very interested in that idea,” the insider informed. Well, it looks like there were situations where Gobert could’ve ended up in Dallas, to play with Luka. But now, Luka has left, forcing the franchise to mop up the devastation.
So, as whispers turn to possibilities, the board resets again. Daniel Gafford may be on the move, Rudy Gobert’s old wish resurfaces, and Pelinka’s hope quietly returns. Meanwhile, Dallas stares at Luka’s shadow, and Nico Harrison may just meet Rob Pelinka again—this time, not for a blockbuster, but for balance.
