Insider Reports Mavericks Looking To Trade 3 Players

The Dallas Mavericks became Cooper Flagg's team from pretty much the moment he stepped on the court to begin his career last season. Everything they do going forward will be to build around the 19-year-old phenom. 

That means, for those players on the wrong side of 25, their time in Dallas will be short. Aside from Kyrie Irving (for now), several of the more veteran Mavs are on the trade block this summer. 

REPORT: The Dallas Mavericks are open to trading Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, & Daniel Gafford, according to Marc Stein.

Who should trade for these players? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/czb7BB74NT

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Insider Marc Stein reports:

"Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, as we speak, are the veterans that the Mavericks are seen as most open to trading ... with Thompson drawing particular notice now that he's entering the final season of his current contract valued at $17.5 million in 2026-27."

Lakers linked to three Mavericks players on trade block

The LA Lakers are seen as a team that has interest in all three of the Dallas players, but a trade will be tough, for various reasons.  

Thompson, 36, is weighing his options, with the Miami Heat and his alma mater the Golden State Warriors looming as other attractive choices for him. 

Thompson is in demand as Dallas looks to move off his expiring contract. A Lakers legend is trying to recruit him to LA, and there are family ties involved. The problem for the Lakers is that they lack any type of assets that the Mavs would be interested in. Same goes for their interest in the other two Mavs. 

Washington and Gafford are both turning 28 before the season starts, and they, too, are being offered up on the trade market. The latter has the most trade value, as an athletic rim protector and rim runner at the other end of the floor. The Mavericks tried to secure a first-round pick for Gafford around draft time, and it doesn't sound like that price has come down, according to insider Brett Siegel.

“Speaking of Gafford, the Mavs continue to signal that they will be very open to any deal involving Gafford that would net them a first-round pick,” he added.

If they don't move off of that ask, he likely won't be dealt. For the Mavericks, that wouldn't be the worst thing, as being left with Dereck Lively II as their only viable NBA center is a very risky proposition. Lively simply can't stay on the floor, playing just seven games last season and 36 the year before that. It's been all downhill since his rookie season in 2023-24, when he played a personal best (but still not that impressive) 55 games.  

Whatever the case, the Mavs are still looking to make moves as they go boldly into the Cooper Flagg era. It's only a matter of time before Kyrie hits the trade block too, it would seem.