The story of the summer for the Dallas Mavericks has been drafting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick back at the end of June, but a different move that seemingly everyone has already forgotten about was the Mavs signing Daniel Gafford to a three-year, $54 million contract extension.
Gafford was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, but Nico Harrison ensured that he remains one of Dallas' defensive anchors for years to come. This deal was initially shocking, as some expected the Mavs to explore trading Gafford for a guard before the season began, but Dallas made it clear that they preferred to keep him out of trades (even after the rumbles from last season).