Hold up, did Coach Dusty May actually just say Daniel Gafford is gonna start taking rhythm threes for the Dallas Mavericks? Because if you thought this big man was done with just dunking, you better think again. This isn’t some tiny adjustment either; this is a major upgrade for their offense, and it could change everything about how they play.
From Dunker To Deep Threat?
You remember Gafford, right? The dude who spent his entire NBA career, like, exclusively below the rim. He’s taken one, count it, one three-pointer in his whole professional life. That lone attempt? It was a desperate heave with the Washington Wizards way back in the 2021-22 season as the clock was running out. Now, Coach May is saying Gafford is expected to do it on purpose. On Sunday, May told reporters that Gafford will take rhythm threes, as long as he merits the privilege to keep doing it.
Gafford himself admitted this whole thing feels pretty strange. “But, I mean, I’m looking forward to it. They’re putting a lot of faith in me to be able to take those shots, so it’s only right that I do the same for myself,” he said. He’s realistic, too, expecting the first few to probably miss. But that’s cool, the big picture is building confidence to take that next step.
This jump is even crazier when you look at his background. Back at Arkansas, his job was simple: set screens, roll hard, catch lobs, grab boards. “I did not. No. I took maybe a couple of jump shots in college, but that’s pretty much it. I didn’t shoot no threes at all,” Gafford confirmed. Dude was a dunk machine. Now, he’s evolving, adding a whole new weapon to his game.
The $54.4 Million Bet
The Mavericks aren’t messing around either. They signed Gafford to a three-year, $54.4 million contract extension before the 2026-27 season. That’s a serious chunk of change to drop on a player learning to shoot. But the team clearly sees the value. Think about it: if Gafford can hit even a few of these shots, defenses HAVE to respect him out there. What does that mean? BOOM. Instant driving lanes open up for Cooper and Kyrie. That’s a game-changer for an offense that desperately needs that kind of spacing to win.
Max Christie nailed it, saying confidence is the biggest factor for Gafford’s shot. Gafford’s aware of the tightrope walk. “I mean, it’s going to feel good, I would say. Hopefully it just doesn’t go to my head and I start jacking up threes,” he said, emphasizing he wants to be smart about it. The team just needs him to keep believing and knock down those open looks when they come. Get ready for a totally different kind of Daniel Gafford, folks.
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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