The franchises confirmed on Thursday night that the Dallas Mavericks had acquired forward P.J. Washington from the Charlotte Hornets and center Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards.
In exchange for guard Seth Curry, forward Grant Williams, and their lightly protected 2027 first-round draft pick, the Mavericks transferred center Richaun Holmes and draft compensation to the Wizards for Gafford.
The Mavericks declared that they had reached a deal with the Thunder to exchange rights to 2028 first-round picks for Oklahoma City’s 2024 first-round pick. As part of the Gafford trade, Washington will receive the 2024 draft choice.
As the starting point guard for the Wizards this season, Gafford has averaging 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. He’ll probably be Dereck Lively II’s backup, giving the Mavericks another dangerous lob threat and rim protector.
In 44 games this season, Washington averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Hornets. In Dallas’ forward rotation, he will take Williams’ place. Williams was a part-time starter who averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Mavs.
The rebuilding Hornets have now traded away three prominent players: Terry Rozier to the Heat last month and Gordon Hayward to the Thunder earlier on Thursday. Washington is the third player to have been moved away.
Williams, who joined Dallas from the Celtics on a four-year, $53 million contract in a sign-and-trade agreement in which the Mavs traded the Spurs 2030 first-round swap rights, was the team’s biggest addition in the summer free agency market.
In 23 games with the Mavericks, Holmes, whom Dallas acquired from the Kings in a draft-day deal that also resulted in the acquisition of first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper, averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds. For the upcoming season, he has a $12.9 million player option.
Over the next three seasons, Gafford, 25, is due $12.4 million, $13.4 million, and $14.4 million, in that order.
Washington, 25, is due $14.2 million in 2025–2026 and $15.5 million in the upcoming season.
The Mavericks’ core has come to rely on Lively, the 12th overall choice, who averages 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 73.9% shooting from the field.
While he heals from surgery to fix his broken nose, Dallas made sure to add solid depth behind him.
As of Thursday night, the Mavericks are 22-14 when Lively is in the starting lineup and 6-9 when he isn’t.
