The Chicago Bulls missed landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by one ping-pong ball bounce. They missed ushering in a new era of basketball in the Windy City by 0.1 percent. Missing out on a prospect like Cooper Flagg created a wound that will be forever tender. But having the opportunity to acquire Daniel Gafford from the Dallas Mavericks softens the blow a tiny bit.

Having Flagg in the mix creates something of a log jam in the Mavs’ frontcourt. The Duke phenom could slide in at small forward in larger lineups, but Dallas still has Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II, who head coach Jason Kidd presumably wants to build his starting group around.

That leaves the Mavericks with P.J. Washington and Gafford, who helped lead the franchise to the NBA Finals a year ago, in smaller roles than they’re used to, and Dallas with $30 million worth of bigs sitting behind its main trio.

Chicago could help solve that problem.

Daniel Gafford trade would be win-win for Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks

The Bulls finished last in the league in 2024-25 in terms of points allowed in the paint. They gave up 54.0 per game and 4,430 total. Rookie Matas Buzelis led Chicago in blocks at 0.9 a night despite finishing fifth on the team in minutes. It’s clear Billy Donovan’s squad is desperate for any semblance of rim protection.

Gafford—who played for the Bulls for the first two-plus seasons of his NBA career—swatted 1.9 shots per game over the last four seasons. He started 31 times for the Mavericks last season and averaged a career-high 12.3 points to go along with 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. He shot 70.2 percent from the field on a career-high 7.1 attempts.

The 26-year-old won’t light the world on fire and may not even play more than 25 minutes a game for Chicago, given the team’s up-tempo, three-point-centric offense. He’ll give the Bulls something they don’t have on the roster, though, and sorely need—an interior presence capable of deterring shots at the rim, attacking the offensive glass and scoring efficiently inside.

He’s also owed just $14.4 million next year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2026-27. At 26, he fits the Bulls’ roster timeline. Or, with an expiring contract, he could help clear more cap space for Chicago when the franchise is projected to have more than any other team in the league.

The Bulls need a center. Gafford fits the rim-protector archetype they need.

Dallas needs to clear space in the frontcourt. Gafford plays a similar game to Lively II, except Lively II is younger, more athletic and a locked-in piece of the Mavs’ future.

A trade between these two teams makes too much sense not to happen.