Mavericks Face Early Setback: Daniel Gafford’s Ankle Injury Raises Questions Ahead of Season Start

In a twist no one wanted right as the Dallas Mavericks kicked off their fall training camp in Vancouver, Daniel Gafford suffered a sprained ankle during his very first practice. Head coach Jason Kidd confirmed the frustrating setback on Tuesday, casting serious doubt over Gafford’s participation in the looming season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on October 22. Just days after his 27th birthday, Gafford is now facing a two to three week recovery period that sidelines him from the remainder of training camp and the preseason. Considering his standout performance last season—averaging 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds on over 70% shooting, capped off by a lucrative three-year, $54 million contract extension—this timing couldn’t be worse. With the Mavericks already navigating a tumultuous offseason following Luka Dončić’s blockbuster trade and a slew of injuries to key players like Kyrie Irving, the team’s early challenges are piling up quicker than anyone hoped. Meanwhile, P.J. Washington’s recent head injury adds yet another layer of uncertainty for the Mavericks, though Kidd remains optimistic about his return. The stakes? High. The drama? Unfolding. This preseason promises to be a test of resilience and depth for Dallas as they look to rebound from last year’s stumble. LEARN MORE

Daniel Gafford’s first practice with the Dallas Mavericks this fall didn’t go well.

The center sustained a sprained ankle in the Mavericks’ first practice of training camp in Vancouver on Tuesday, head coach Jason Kidd confirmed. He will now be sidelined for two to three weeks recovering, which is putting his availability for their season-opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 22 in doubt.

Gafford, who turned 27 on Wednesday, will now miss the rest of training camp and the preseason.

Gafford had a career season with the Mavericks last year. He averaged 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game, and shot just better than 70.2% from the field. He inked a three-year, $54 million extension with the team this past offseason. Gafford, who split time in the starting role alongside Dereck Lively, missed time near the end of the season due to an MCL sprain.

The Mavericks are coming off a wild season in which they surprisingly traded away star Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis. The team spiraled after that due to several major injuries, including to star Kyrie Irving — who is still recovering from a torn ACL. The Mavericks, one year removed from a trip to the NBA Finals, went just 39-43 and missed the playoffs completely last season. Dallas, though, won the NBA Draft lottery and ended up selecting Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick.

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington also missed practice Wednesday due to a head injury. He was seen colliding with Jaden Hardy during one-on-one drills Tuesday, according to the Dallas Morning News, but Kidd is hopeful that he can return later this week. Washington, who averaged 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds last season, signed a four-year, $90 million extension with the Mavericks last month.