The Dallas Mavericks are nearing a deal to acquire center Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards for center Richaun Holmes and draft compensation, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Gafford has averaged 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game as the Wizards’ starter this season. He will likely be a backup to rookie Dereck Lively II, providing the Mavs another quality lob threat and rim protector.
Holmes, who Dallas acquired from the Sacramento Kings in a draft-day deal that also landed first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper, averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 23 games for the Mavs. He has a $12.9 million player option for next season.
Gafford, 25, is owed $12.4 million, $13.4 million and $14.4 million, respectively, over the next three seasons.
Lively, the No. 12 overall pick, has established himself as an essential part of the Mavs’ core, averaging 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 73.9% from the floor.
Lively currently is recovering from surgery to repair his broken nose, and adding quality depth behind him was a priority for Dallas.
The Mavs are 22-14 with Lively in the lineup and 6-9 in the games that he has missed entering Thursday night.
This story originally appeared on ESPN
