The Boston Celtics had no answers for the briefly resurrected MVP form of Joel Embiid they ran into at just the wrong time in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs. As a result, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens made clear that adding interior size and rim protection is at the top of the offseason to-do list.
One potential option for the Celtics is center Daniel Gafford of the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas recently hired Masai Ujiri to run the organization, and wholesale changes have already begun via the hiring of Mike Schmitz as the new general manager and the dismissal of Jason Kidd as head coach after five seasons at the helm, which included two trips to the Western Conference Finals and one NBA Finals appearance.
Gafford was an important cog in the team’s run to the NBA Finals in 2024 playing alongside Luka Doncic. And while Boston doesn’t need a rim-running lob threat in the same way that Mavericks team did, or the future Los Angeles Lakers‘ rosters will with Doncic at the helm, the Celtics’ defense could desperately use Gafford’s athleticism around the rim on the other side of the court.
“Daniel Gafford … remains a solid rim protector and pick-and-roll partner,” Dan Favale of Bleacher Report wrote last week. “That he remained efficient as the dive man in this year’s Dallas Mavericks offense is a modest miracle.”
Daniel Gafford Can Offer Celtics Interior Defense That Cost Them Playoff Win in Round 1 Against 76ers
GettyCenter Daniel Gafford of the Dallas Mavericks.
Gafford will play next season at 28 years old and is entering the first year of a three-season deal worth $54.4 million in 2026-27.
He averaged 21.7 minutes per night across 55 games (44 starts) last season. Gafford averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 blocks.
Boston traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks last July in an effort to save money against the salary cap, a decision ostensibly made easier by the Achilles tendon injury to Jayson Tatum in Round 2 of the 2025 playoffs against the New York Knicks.
The Celtics achieved their financial goals by dealing Porzingis, who ended up with the Golden State Warriors at the end of another season plagued by on-and-off health issues. However, Boston ended up missing his height and rim protection in its Round 1 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers after earning an unlikely No. 2 seed in the East and Tatum returning earlier than expected.
Jaylen Brown Making Off-Court Waves Since Celtics’ Playoff Exit
GettyJaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
More blockbuster-style trade proposals involving the Celtics are floating around the future of superstar Jaylen Brown following the best season of his career, in which he averaged 28.7 points per game and finished sixth in MVP voting.
Brown has stirred up controversy in the aftermath of the team’s playoff collapse, first by describing the 2025-26 campaign as his favorite season, which drew criticism from fans and prominent media members accusing Brown of being more enamored with personal accolades/attention than team success in the context of Tatum missing most of the year with injury.
Brown was defiant in response, calling out ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith in particular. And while that in itself isn’t liable to meaningfully impact Boston’s stance on Brown’s future with the team one way or another, Brown’s behavior following the conclusion of the playoffs could be indicative of the star’s desire to have his own team — so to speak.
The Celtics probably will not be able to sell higher on Brown than they can this offseason, so it might be time for Boston to at least consider splitting up the Brown/Tatum duo.
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