Lakers Eye Daniel Gafford as Ayton Insurance

The Lakers are 15-4 and humming without LeBron, yet trade chatter persists. Brett Siegel reported, "Coincidentally enough, one of the teams with strong interest in [Dallas Mavericks center Daniel] Gafford dating back to last season is the Los Angeles Lakers, sources said." Gafford — a career 70.1% shooter who played with Luka Dončić — would add interior depth behind Deandre Ayton, who has been efficient (16 points, 8.6 rebounds) but has missed time with knee issues. Merlin senses the prudence in adding a reliable big rather than another ball-dominant wing like Andrew Wiggins, which could disturb the unit's cohesion. Gafford’s fit and efficiency look right for playoff wear-and-tear, but health concerns and Dallas’s asking price are the real spells to be broken.