2025 Stats
PTS
10.5
REB
4.0
AST
2.0
STL
1.0
BLK
1.5
ROS Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Gafford's first full season in Dallas was interrupted by injuries, limiting him to 57 games. He made 31 starts as well, as his main competition in Dereck Lively was limited to a total of 36 games. Gafford produced averages of 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.8 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game, shooting a sky-high 70.2 percent from the field. On a per-game basis in nine-category formats, he managed an eighth-round valuation. The Mavericks acquired Anthony Davis towards the end of the 2024-25 season, and Lively is expected to be ready for training camp after recovering from foot surgery. It's been widely reported that Davis and Lively will be the starting frontcourt, with Gafford and P.J. Washington coming off the bench. Meanwhile, No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is projected to start at small forward. Despite the likely demotion, the Mavericks showed their commitment to Gafford with a three-year, $60 million extension. A role with minutes in the low 20s seems feasible, and he's shown that he can be a reliable fantasy producer in that amount of time. But as an added bonus, Gafford would likely see a spike in fantasy value should Davis or Lively miss time at any point this season, and it's no secret that durability is not a strength for either player. Read Past Outlooks
Signed a three-year, $60 million contract extension with the Mavericks in June of 2025. 
Logs 25 minutes in loss
Gafford closed with 14 points (7-9 FG), four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and one assist across 25 minutes during Monday's 110-102 loss to the Rockets.
ANALYSIS
Despite briefly exiting the game due to a leg issue, Gafford played a season-high 25 minutes in the loss. Although he was still reportedly on a minutes restriction of no more than 18, he exceeded that, putting up solid contributions on both ends of the floor. The Mavericks are still without a number of frontcourt options, meaning as long as Gafford can remain healthy, he should have a clear path to minutes.
Despite briefly exiting the game due to a leg issue, Gafford played a season-high 25 minutes in the loss. Although he was still reportedly on a minutes restriction of no more than 18, he exceeded that, putting up solid contributions on both ends of the floor. The Mavericks are still without a number of frontcourt options, meaning as long as Gafford can remain healthy, he should have a clear path to minutes.
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Stat Review
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How does Daniel Gafford compare to other players?
This section compares his stats with all players from the previous three seasons (minimum 200 minutes played)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
True Shooting %
78.8%
Effective Field Goal %
75.0%
3-Point Attempt Rate
0.0%
Free Throw Rate
25.0%
Offensive Rebound %
10.1%
Defensive Rebound %
9.6%
Total Rebound %
9.9%
Assist %
16.8%
Steal %
1.9%
Block %
5.5%
Turnover %
0.0%
Usage %
13.4%
Fantasy Points Per Game
25.8
Fantasy Points Per Minute
1.2
NBA Historical Fantasy Stats
Historical ADP
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Mavericks Depth Chart
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Mavericks Rotation: Minutes Breakdown
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Average Fantasy Points
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Average Fantasy Points are determined when Daniel Gafford was active vs. non-active during the season. Click here to view average fantasy points for a different time period.
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
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2020
2019
After years of promise, Gafford finally rewarded managers with a breakout performance, completing easily his best season to date. He finished as the 38th-ranked player in standard leagues, averaging 11.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 3.0 combined steals and blocks. While it was a great season for Gafford, a midseason trade to Dallas did limit what he was able to do down the stretch. He carved out a role as a starter for his new team, however, his minutes fluctuated from game to game. The Mavericks likely view Dereck Lively as their center of the future, something that could become more obvious moving forward. Despite starting, Gafford regularly saw fewer minutes than Lively, seemingly playing as a backup. Should that trend continue into the 2024-25 season, it's hard to see Gafford replicating what he did last year. He still warrants attention in drafts as an elite per-minute fantasy producer. With that said, Lively is likely to be the preferred option in both fantasy and reality. Gafford should still have a relatively safe floor if he can crack at least 22 minutes per night. Should that drop to fewer than 20 minutes, there may not be enough meat on the bone for anyone not simply seeking blocks and rebounds.
More Fantasy News
Checks back in
Gafford has returned to Monday's game against Houston, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports.
ANALYSIS
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Limps to locker room
Gafford went to the locker room during the third quarter of Monday's game against the Rockets due to an apparent right leg injury, Christian Clark of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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To remain limited Monday
Gafford will remain limited to around 15-18 minutes in Monday's game against Houston, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Capped at 17 minutes in debut
Gafford (ankle) registered seven points (2-3 FG, 3-3 FT), four rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes in Saturday's 122-110 loss to the Pistons in Mexico City.
ANALYSIS
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Starting Saturday
Gafford will start Saturday's game against the Pistons despite being limited to 15-to-18 minutes.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Could split time with Lively
Gafford could split time with Dereck Lively at center, Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban reported Monday.
ANALYSIS
"For Gafford, he too is poised to play a ton, as he and Lively's minutes per game when they are both healthy is often almost split down the middle," Weber said. "Combine this fact with Lively's injury history over the last two seasons, and Gafford may also find himself being more impactful than anyone realizes." While Weber projects Gafford to come off the bench, he clearly anticipates a significant role and even makes the case that he could push for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.
"For Gafford, he too is poised to play a ton, as he and Lively's minutes per game when they are both healthy is often almost split down the middle," Weber said. "Combine this fact with Lively's injury history over the last two seasons, and Gafford may also find himself being more impactful than anyone realizes." While Weber projects Gafford to come off the bench, he clearly anticipates a significant role and even makes the case that he could push for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.