HOUSTON (April 22, 2023) – Houston Dynamo FC acquired attacker McKinze Gaines in a trade with Nashville SC, both teams announced today. The Dynamo sent $75,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) in exchange for the 26-year-old winger.
“McKinzie is a dynamic attacker who can stretch the field with his speed and 1v1 ability,” General Manager Pat Onstad said. “We are excited to welcome McKinzie back to his home state of Texas and look forward to him contributing to our team’s success.”
The Texas native has earned 55 MLS appearances (21 starts) since entering the league in 2021, while scoring three goals and recording six assists. A former U.S. youth international, Gaines began his professional career in Germany by competing for the likes of Darmstadt 98 and Hannover 96.
After a brief stint with Austin FC in 2021, he spent two seasons with Charlotte FC, who acquired Gaines with the first pick in the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft. In December, Gaines was traded to Nashville SCin exchange for a second-round pick (No. 38 overall) in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas.
Gaines will join a Houston team that has seen six different goal scorers this season, and the speedy winger will join the likes of Aliyu Ibrahim, who leads the team with three goals in MLS play.
