The 2026 NBA Draft is finally upon us. Months of speculation, rumors, and mock drafts will come to a conclusion on Tuesday night, and it's arguably the most important night of the Cooper Flagg era with the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas enters the draft with three picks, including two in the first round, selecting 9th, 30th, and 48th. However, they have been heavily linked to trade rumors as they look to navigate around the board, including a trade that would have them send the 9th pick to the OKC Thunder for 12 and 17 if the draft falls a certain way. That's not the only trading they're looking to do, though. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, "The Mavericks have been shopping Daniel Gafford in trade talks over the last week to try to jump from No. 30 in the draft into the top 20."Daniel Gafford has been in trade rumors for a year at this point, as the contract extension he signed last offseason (three years, $54 million) was the most he could sign for while still being trade-eligible. While a lot of teams entertained a trade, none has materialized to this point. The Mavericks were close to dealing him at this year's trade deadline, but after trading Anthony Davis to free up future salary, they felt less pressured to trade Gafford and raised their asking price. Gafford is coming off a frustrating season that saw him deal with an ankle injury suffered in training camp, and he was in and out of the lineup all year long because of it. There should still be a fair amount of interest in him, though. Apr 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) saves the ball during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn ImagesWhich Teams Could Be Interested in Daniel Gafford?A lot of teams could use a player like Gafford, whether they're looking to upgrade their starters or improve their bench. We've seen him rotate with Dereck Lively II for the last few years, and when they're both healthy, it makes for an impactful frontcourt. If the goal is to get into the top 20, the Charlotte Hornets (18th) and Toronto Raptors (19th) make a lot of sense. Charlotte would love a more proven body down low as they look to take another jump next season, while the Raptors have Jakob Poeltl's gigantic contract, and he's not that good of a player anymore. The Atlanta Hawks (23rd) and Los Angeles Lakers (25th) are other teams that could use a center, but that may not be a big enough jump up for the Mavericks to consider. Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow