TITLE: Mavericks Center Daniel Gafford Expected to Miss 2–3 Weeks With Ankle Sprain
SLUG: mavericks-daniel-gafford-out-2-3-weeks-ankle-sprain
CONTENT:
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford will be sidelined for approximately two to three weeks after rolling his ankle on the first day of training camp, head coach Jason Kidd said Wednesday.
The injury took place Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. With the regular season set to begin on October 22 against the San Antonio Spurs, Gafford’s availability for opening night is uncertain if his recovery reaches the full three-week projection.
The 26-year-old is also expected to miss all four of Dallas’ preseason games, which run from Monday through October 15.
Gafford averaged a career-best 12.3 points along with 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks last season, but appeared in only 57 contests after a sprained knee kept him out for 21 consecutive games late in the year. He returned to action in early April.
During the offseason, the Arkansas product signed a three-year, $54 million extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028-29 campaign. Because the deal was finalized before the season, he remains eligible to be traded without a six-month waiting period.
If Gafford cannot play in the opener, second-year center Dereck Lively II is the leading candidate to start in the middle alongside Anthony Davis and rookie Cooper Flagg.
Source: HoopsRumors
