Many are criticizing the organization, but the Dallas Mavericks’ frontcourt was supposed to be a silver lining. Unfortunately for them, the team will be without multiple bigs moving forward. An area of perceived strength suddenly has a massive hole on a day-to-day basis. They currently sit in eighth place in the West. But things can change quickly, especially if there’s a slump toward the end of the season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X that Daniel Gafford will be sidelined for a minimum of two weeks due to an ankle injury. He’ll be reevaluated around then. Unfortunately, this blow comes to the Dallas Mavericks’ frontcourt at the most inopportune time.
The roster is already without Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Dwight Powell. The team has potential when fully healthy. However, that is far from the case at this point in time. This is especially critical against other Western Conference teams, such as the Thunder, Grizzlies, and Nuggets.
This team will be forced to overly rely on Kyrie Irving. He’s more than capable of leading a side to wins. But coach Jason Kidd would rather not turn to the veteran guard too early or too often if possible. Unfortunately for the staff, this option is now unavoidable.
Healthy Dallas Mavericks’ frontcourt gives room for optimism
Fans had a chance to see what this team can look like when closer to full capacity. Unfortunately, Davis’ debut was short-lived. But the center position was in good hands with Gafford playing. He offers a big, physical presence on both ends of the court. And more importantly, he affects shots, even when he doesn’t get the block itself.
More importantly, he helps to keep the defense honest, and his teammates more easily know how to position themselves with a true center on the court. Consequently, it will be rough sledding until one of the aforementioned bigs gets back.
Considering the NBA is past the trade deadline, it will be difficult for the Dallas Mavericks’ frontcourt to get any noticeable form of a boost. Their only source of hope is to stay afloat. The middle-to-bottom teams of the West are inconsistent. This means that playing .500 ball or even only being close to that could prove to be enough to stay in a good position.
This front office is under a lot of heat. They made a move, thinking they’d be better positioned to win now. Unfortunately, the concerns fans had following the trade are immediately rearing their heads. If someone steps up to offer a presence in the Dallas Mavericks’ frontcourt, it could be enough to extend their post-season hopes.