Could the New York Knicks pull off poaching a productive big man from the Dallas Mavericks before the February 6 deadline?
Fadeaway World’s Fran Leiva envisioned a trade on Tuesday that would send Dallas center Daniel Gafford to the Knicks for Mitchell Robinson and New York’s 2025 first-rounder via Washington.
“Adding Gafford would give the Knicks some much-needed stability down low, allowing Towns to focus more on scoring without having to worry about anchoring the defense,” Leiva said.
“For the Mavericks, this deal makes sense too. Dereck Lively II has locked up the starting center spot, and Gafford’s role has shrunk. Flipping him for Robinson gives them another defensive big while also snagging a 2025 first-round pick via Washington. It’s a win-win, especially with Dallas currently third in the West and relying heavily on Luka Doncic to keep them competitive.”
“This isn’t a flashy move, but it’s exactly the kind of low-key trade that could make a big impact for the Knicks. Gafford would shore up their frontcourt and give them a better chance of keeping pace with the heavyweights in the East.”
One thing Leiva failed to mention is that the Knicks’ first-rounder from the Wizards is top-10 protected, and it seems likely that the lowly Wiz are going to end up with a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft.
Perhaps New York could toss in some second-round draft capital instead to entice the Mavs into this deal.
Robinson is a fascinating trade chip because it’s impossible to know how teams value him, given his injury history. Dallas wouldn’t consider this deal unless they examined Robinson’s physical and came away optimistic.
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