Rookie Henri Veesaar tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a workout on September 15, 2026, slamming the door shut on Atlanta’s chances to trade for Daniel Gafford. The team announced Veesaar will miss the entire 2026-27 season after surgery in October, a brutal blow that completely derailed their frontcourt plans before the season even truly started. This injury has not just weakened Atlanta’s depth, it has completely dried up the trade market for Daniel Gafford, leaving the Hawks in a tough spot.
Mavs Trade Demands Kill Any Hope
Before Veesaar’s injury, the Mavericks were holding firm, demanding a first-round pick for Daniel Gafford. They were not budging, especially after trading Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. That move meant Dallas no longer needed to shed salary, so they stopped talking about lower offers. Sports Illustrated confirms that first-round pick was *the* consistent asking price for Gafford. The Hawks, even before Veesaar went down, were not willing to meet that price. Now, with a key developmental piece like Veesaar on the shelf, Atlanta has even less reason to give up a future asset for a player they might think they can replace. Veesaar, a 7-foot big man with real shooting skills, averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds at North Carolina last year. His potential made him an intriguing piece, but now that potential is gone for a year, and with it, the Gafford trade.
Frontcourt Depth Is Hanging By a Thread
Atlanta’s center rotation is now razor-thin. Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale are clearly the team’s top two options, but Veesaar was meant to be a developmental piece behind them, adding critical depth. His absence leaves the rotation dangerously thin, and it gets worse. Mouhamed Gueye had foot surgery in July and will also miss the start of the season. He is set to be reevaluated in three to four months, leaving his status incredibly uncertain. This leaves the Hawks with just three big men for an eight-month NBA season. One bad injury to Okongwu or Landale could absolutely derail their entire frontcourt strategy. The financial situation does not help either: Veesaar signed a four-year, $9.26 million contract with two guaranteed seasons. Gueye’s deal is non-guaranteed, which complicates any roster moves. With 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, adding another depth piece via a two-way contract might be their only realistic path forward. BasketNews.com noted that Veesaar was only the third player from Estonia to ever play in the NBA. His loss is not just a stat line drop; it is a loss of a unique skill set.
The trade talk for Gafford is dead unless Dallas suddenly drops their asking price, which seems unlikely. The Mavericks had hoped to trade Gafford for a better spot in the 2026 NBA Draft, but that plan did not pan out, and they are still holding firm. Atlanta’s focus shifts immediately to keeping Okongwu and Landale healthy for the long haul. The team simply cannot afford to lose another big man early in the season. With Veesaar out, the pressure on the existing roster has never been higher, and Hawks fans should expect a quiet frontcourt until the trade deadline.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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