This Lakers' sneaky escape route could hand Mavs three assets including a sharpshooter for one big

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This Lakers' sneaky escape route could hand Mavs three assets including a sharpshooter for one big originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Lakers are officially in their offseason. Luka Dončić, who led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game across 64 regular-season appearances, missed all 10 of the Lakers' playoff games after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2 against the same Thunder.

With LeBron James’ future in limbo, the offseason priority for L.A. is not just getting Doncic healthy. But it is fixing the roster around him. The biggest gap heading into 2026–27 is at the center.

DeAndre Ayton is already on the team, but he never matched the elite status the franchise wanted. Actually, he was a recurring problem throughout the season.

Head coach JJ Redick pulled him from Game 3 of the Thunder series after OKC grabbed back-to-back offensive boards on a single possession. Opponents consistently found easy looks at the rim against Lakers despite him being on the floor.

He has a player option worth just over $8 million for 2026–27. However, league expectations are that the fit failed and L.A. will search for an upgrade regardless of his decision. That search points directly to Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford.

ESPN's Zach Kram proposed a trade in his offseason draft package that would send the Mavs center to the Lakers in exchange for Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and the No. 25 pick in the 2026 first round. Gafford already knows the system and also knows Doncic. So, he is likely the big rim-protector the Lakers have been missing.

He has three years left on his contract, starting at $17.2 million next season, followed by $18.1 million and $18.9 million. Trading Vanderbilt and Knecht matches those salaries almost perfectly, keeping the move cap-friendly for the Lakers.

And with the Mavs rebuilding their team around Cooper Flagg and clearing the decks from the Anthony Davis era, Gafford may not fit what Dallas is building. So, sending him to the Lakers for young pieces and a first-rounder accelerates their revamp.

But no trade happens in a vacuum. ESPN's Bobby Marks points out one major roadblock for Dallas. "To part ways with Gafford," Marks wrote in the ESPN piece, "the Mavericks need to have assurance that Dereck Lively II is healthy."

Lively played just seven games this season before undergoing right foot surgery in December. If he is cleared and ready for 2026–27, Dallas can trade Gafford without concern. Vanderbilt can absorb backup minutes at the five in an emergency and the Mavericks hold three first-round picks to draft a big man if needed.

Knecht, who turns 25 this summer, played a minimal role in his second season. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt remains a situational player. Neither is part of L.A.'s long-term core, but Gafford would be.

So, with this sneaky trade, the Lakers get a proven pick-and-roll partner for Doncic, fixing their biggest roster flaw without giving up core talent.

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