Is Daniel Gafford all right? That question would be going through the minds of the attendees at the American Airlines Center as the Mavericks-Kings matchup was still in its early stages. It was only less than a week ago when the player had to exit a matchup after sustaining a shoulder injury. Fortunately, his quick return helped to provide some relief to the Mavs’ already serious injury situation. Now, from the looks of things, it seems that Jason Kidd and Co. should once again expect the worst.

During the first half of the Mavs-Kings game, Grant Afseth reported that Daniel Gafford injured his knee. The situation was serious enough for the player to be lying on the court, clutching his leg as people gathered around him. Gafford was helped by several of them, and he was escorted to the Dallas Mavericks’ locker room.

It didn’t take long for Gafford to be diagnosed with a right knee sprain. Soon, the player was also declared ‘OUT’ for the game’s remaining minutes. This was unfortunate given in his 10 minutes on the court, Gafford scored 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.

As of now, there is no official confirmation on how long Gafford could be ‘OUT’ due to the injury. However, if one thing is known, it is that the ailment has increased the headache for Jason Kidd. After all, the Center is the 6 player on the Mavs Injury Report who will be declared ‘OUT’ going forward.

The Mavericks had been facing significant issues with center depth over the last few weeks. Dereck Lively II, Dwight Powell, and Maxi Kleber (before the Los Angeles Lakers trade) had all missed significant time due to injuries. At one point, the depth reportedly got so bad that the front office had to cut Jazian Gortman, the 21-year-old Texas Legends guard. This was done so that the team could sign Kylor Kelley to give some depth behind Daniel Gafford.

With Anthony Davis’s acquisition, there was a belief that some help would be provided on the Center spot, despite the veteran’s desire to play fewer minutes in that position. Unfortunately, during his Mavs debut game, Davis was injured with a left adductor strain, which sidelined him indefinitely.

Daniel Gafford was the exception to the pit of injuries the other Mavs players kept falling into. After all, he had played in 51 of the team’s 53 games this season. Unfortunately, his streak could be affected by his recent ailment. In light of this, the Mavs front office has some important decisions to make.

How can the Dallas Mavericks proceed without Daniel Gafford?

In light of Daniel Gafford’s absence, Kylor Kelley and Olivier-Maxence Prosper could see an increase in their on-court minutes. After all, along with Anthony Davis, Dwight Powell is also ‘OUT’ as he recovers from a hip ailment.

In the 4 games he played this season, Kelley averaged 4.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. The 27-year-old’s shooting efforts left a lot to be desired, as Kylor averaged 1.8-2.3 (77.8%) field goals, 0.0-0.0 (0%) three-pointers, and 1.0-1.5 (66.7%) free throws.

Meanwhile, Olivier-Maxence Prosper has faired a bit better by playing in 42 games this season. Unfortunately, he isn’t better on the scoring front, having averaged only 3.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists this season.

While the Mavs squad would be hoping for better players than the duo, it is all they could muster for now. How much do you think Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford’s combined absence will affect the Dallas Mavericks? And at a crucial period for them, too?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.