The Mavericks were busy at the NBA’s trade deadline, making three deals on Thursday that should address a couple of their glaring needs: size and rebounding.
The acquisitions of P.J. Washington from Charlotte and Daniel Gafford from Washington were widely applauded around the NBA as the Mavericks got two big men – both of whom have a reputation for their rebounding.
The cost to get both players wasn’t overly prohibitive.
The Mavericks sent forward Grant Williams and guard Seth Curry to the Hornets, in addition to a 2027 first-round draft pick that is top-two protected. That means if happens to be No. 1 or No. 2, the Mavericks would keep it. Otherwise, it goes to Charlotte.
They also surrendered big men Richaun Holmes and the 2024 first-round pick they obtained via the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“We had three goals coming in here,” said Nico Harrison, the Mavs’ general manager and president of basketball operations. “We wanted to get bigger, we wanted to add to our depth in the frontcourt, and then also get some scoring punch out of the frontcourt.
“Those were our three goals and we feel like we accomplished those.”
Getting Gafford and Washington means the Mavericks’ front line now goes from a position lacking depth to one that is well-fortified. With injuries to Maxi Kleber and, more recently, rookie Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks have often been caught shorthanded at the big positions.
The Mavericks started the dominos falling by completing a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. To acquire the 2024 pick from OKC, the Mavericks agreed to swap picks with the Thunder, which means they can take whichever draft selection is higher.
That paved the way for the bigger deals.
Their second move of deadline day was to get Washington, a 6-7 forward/center who started his prep career at Frisco’s Lone Star High School before moving to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., the same city that Jaden Hardy schooled at (different prep school). Washington had been solely with the Hornets for his first 4½ seasons.
He’s been an a good three-point shooter and was averaging 13.6 points so far this season in 44 games (17 starts).
“I think if you look at P.J., the biggest thing about him is he can score,” Harrison said. “He can get hot, he can shoot, he can create, so it’s just his versatility, but also rim protection.
“He can block shots, and he’s big. He can play (power forward) and (center). So, I think that’s the thing that he’s going to bring to us.”
Washington also had been rumored in trade speculation for weeks leading up to the deadline, largely because the Hornets have been floundering all season and had a 10-40 record on deadline day. Washington will wear No. 25 for the Mavericks.
Shortly after the acquisition of Washington, the team announced Gafford’s deal.
The 6-10 former Arkansas Razorback is a high-motored center that has been durable and productive throughout his first 4½ seasons. While he figures to back up Dereck Lively II in Dallas, he started all 45 games he played in so far this season with the Wizards.
He’s averaging a career-best 10.9 points and 8 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game.
“When you look at Gafford, big-time rim protection, adding depth to our frontcourt,” Harrison said. “I can just imagine him and Luka (Doncic) and him and (Kyrie Irving) in the pick-and-roll and what that’s going to bring.”
The Mavericks have been so snake-bitten by injuries this season that getting a player who has been historically durable should be an asset.
In addition, Gafford has had nine double-doubles this season, including a 26-point, 17-rebound effort against Phoenix in December. Gafford will wear No. 21 for the Mavericks.
“When you have really good guards you get really good shots, and it makes it a lot easier,” Harrison said. “You just try to envision what their skill sets are, what they do, and then you imagine them, ‘Hey, you’re playing with the best guard in the league (in Doncic). What are your shots going to look like now?’
“You’re going to have more space and more time, so I think that’s going to be an advantage for (Washington).”
Holmes, acquired from Sacramento last summer, appeared in 23 games for the Mavericks this season and averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 10 minutes per game.
That the Mavericks had to include Williams and Curry in the deal to get Washington means the Hornets acquired two players from the Charlotte area.
“I do want to take the time to thank the guys that we had,” Harrison said. “Richaun Holmes was professional, he didn’t get a lot of opportunities, but he was always ready. And anorher, too, like Seth Curry, he chose to be here because he was a free agent, so I think that’s important to acknowledge him.
“And then Grant Williams, another free agent who chose to be here, so I think it’s important to thank him for his contributions to the team.”
Williams was the Mavericks’ marquee free-agent acquisition last summer, arriving via sign-and-trade with Boston. He had played in 47 games, started 33, and averaged 8.1 points while shooting 37.6 percent from three-point range.
Curry had played sparingly in 36 games this season and had not been able to carve out regular playing time in the rotation.
Harrison is hopeful of having both Washington and Gafford to play when the Mavs host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday at 2 p.m. But he said a lot of it will depend on physicals for both teams.
“We’ve been injured a lot this year, so when you talk about adding depth, when you’re injured now it’s like, ‘Ok, we can go.’ We still have some guys that can go and pick up the pieces and not worried about, ‘Oh, he’s injured. We got to rush him back.’
“We have more depth now, so we feel like we can match up with anybody.”
X: @ESefko
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