Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[Winter]

I tried to look around and see what others are saying.  I think the most realistic deal I saw was Gafford/Hardy for Sexton/#43.  Gafford would potentially go to a third team with assets coming back to Utah (though it could also be Kessler going out and Gafford staying).  

I like the shooting touch of the Stanford center if he's still there at #43.

I think if we never had Gafford on the Mav's and heard that Washington traded him to Utah for Sexton that we'd think that was a good deal for Washington.  In other words, we tend to assign more value to him because he's ours.  He works hard and seems to be a likeable guy.  But, just like Sexton, Gafford isn't closing games in the playoffs.  If AD and Lively are healthy, there is probably a 14 minute backup center role on this team in the playoffs.  

I think it would be difficult to play Kyrie and Sexton together (but easier than playing Gafford and Lively together). To be fair, if Kyrie is healthy, the Sexton role is probably a similar 14-16 minutes (with some possibility of a little bit of overlap in the middle of each half that might take the role to 22 minutes).  But, Kyrie isn't healthy to start the season.  We need the 3 point shooting and we need the steady hand creating some perimeter offense until February.  

I think I would do a deal involving Gafford.  I see he and Sexton as among the best backups at their positions in the league.  But, I think you are not going far in the playoffs if either is your starter.  We have answers without Gafford at center.  Right now, we don't have answers without someone like Sexton.

You point out a couple of things I haven't thought about concerning the rotation. I do generally agree that Sexton's assets outweigh his weaknesses for me (at least on this Mavs team as constructed). That's why I find him more useful here. Probably more usefull than Gafford as long as he is not forced into too many minutes. It seems to me both Gafford and Sexton suffer from a similar problem - the more minutes they play, the more their weaknesses are exposed.

I still have difficulty giving up Gafford for Sexton and #43. I wish it were some other configuration of a trade, but I suspect that's fair if I'm being honest. The only problem with the trade for me is that it has the feeling of something very short term.