Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd provided an encouraging injury update on Daniel Gafford on Saturday, writes Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com.
Gafford has been recovering from a sprained ankle he sustained on the first day of training camp, and Kidd said there’s a chance the 27-year-old center could be ready for Wednesday’s regular season opener vs. San Antonio after going through the non-contact portions of Saturday’s practice.
“We’ll see,” Kidd said. “No contact today, but he did some things. I wouldn’t rule it out, but we’ll take it day by day.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- According to Afseth, guard Brandon Williams and wing Caleb Martin were full participants in yesterday’s practice. “Yeah, they’re trending in the right direction,” Kidd said when asked if Williams and Martin will be active against the Spurs. “If they keep doing what they’re doing Monday and Tuesday, they’ll have a good chance to play.” Williams has battled a hamstring strain for the past few weeks, but played three minutes in Dallas’ preseason finale vs. the Lakers, while Martin has been dealing with an undisclosed injury which prevented him in playing in any preseason games.
- Gafford, Williams and Martin appear to be making solid progress in their respective recoveries, but Dante Exum continues to be hampered by right knee soreness and didn’t practice on Saturday, per Afseth. Kidd previously said Exum would likely be out for a while, but didn’t provide any sort of return timeline.
- Guinean center Moussa Cisse, who went undrafted in June and had been on an Exhibit 10 deal, was promoted to a two-way contract yesterday after impressing the Mavs over the past handful of weeks. “He’s earned it,” Kidd said, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “He’s had a heck of a preseason/training camp. Things that he’s done for us in practice and then also in the games has been at a very high level. We’re really excited to have him on board.” As Townsend writes, the shot-blocking big man was thrilled when he heard the news. “It feels great, after all the hours you’re putting in in the gym, coming in and working,” Cisse said. “Having opportunities like those, I’m really grateful. This is like a dream come true.”