The Dallas Mavericks expected their center group to be a real asset heading into the 2026-27 season. Instead, training camp has turned that strength into a source of concern.
Dallas brought in Santi Aldama and Morez Johnson Jr. through the draft and trade market to join Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, giving Dusty May a frontcourt with size, versatility, rim pressure, and even some shooting. On paper, it looked deep. Right now, it looks fragile.
Johnson Jr. has been limited in practice, and that adds another layer to an already unsettled situation. Naji Marshall hinted at Johnson Jr.’s limited status on Sunday, and May confirmed it Monday.
"He's working his way back," May said. "He's close."
May did not explain why Johnson Jr. has been limited, but the fact that he has not been a full participant in practice is enough to raise eyebrows. The Mavericks were already dealing with a few health questions up front. Lively II still has not fully recovered from his December foot surgery, and Aldama has been limited in practice as he continues to come back from a March knee surgery.
That leaves Dallas in a tricky spot. The team’s big men were supposed to be one of its biggest strengths for the second straight year, but the first few days of camp have made that look far less certain.
The outlook around Lively II remains bleak for the start of the regular season, and Johnson Jr.’s status now becomes one more thing for fans to watch closely. If he’s back in full activity soon, the concern may fade quickly. If not, the questions only grow louder.
Should Johnson Jr. miss time and be unavailable for the season opener in about three weeks, May would be left with Daniel Gafford, Moussa Cisse, and Aldama. And that doesn’t even factor in the fact that Aldama has yet to be a full participant himself.
With the first preseason game only 11 days away, the center rotation already feels like the biggest uncertainty on the roster. If Johnson Jr. can’t get into those games, Dallas loses a chance to see him against NBA competition, build chemistry with his teammates, and find out whether he might even be a candidate to start.
His long-term health matters far more than any exhibition. Still, the preseason is supposed to offer some clarity, and right now that clarity isn’t there. For a group already missing Lively II and with Aldama not yet fully up to speed, Johnson Jr.’s limited status only makes the picture more volatile as camp goes on.
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Mavericks Camp Suddenly Has One Big Santi Aldama Question
Training camp has already brought a fresh layer of uncertainty for the Mavericks, and it starts with Santi Aldama. The big man has been limited as he works his way back from an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee in March, leaving Dallas to manage his involvement day by day while the medical staff controls how much he can do on the floor.
Dusty May has been careful not to force the issue, but he has made clear what Aldama could add once hes fully available: a versatile center who can help stretch defenses and open up lineup options. That kind of fit matters for a team also sorting out roles around Daniel Gafford, rookie Morez Johnson Jr. and the rest of camp, which is why Aldamas status has quickly become one of the more important things to watch as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Bring Back Dwight Powell And Now A Tough Call Awaits
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For now, the issue is less about Powells fit than the mechanics of fitting him in. Dallas already has a crowded standard-contract situation, so the next move will have to come from somewhere else on the roster, and that leaves the Mavericks weighing a decision they would probably rather avoid this late in the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Rookies Already Face Two Very Different Early Tests
One rookie is easing back into the mix while another is already in the middle of a long adjustment project. Morez Johnson Jr., the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has been limited in practice because of left calf soreness, though he is close to returning to full participation. For a Mavericks team trying to sort out roles and rhythm early, his availability matters, especially with the club pushing a faster pace this season.
Sergio De Larrea, taken No. 25, has taken a different path so far. The guard has been leaning on veteran Santi Aldama and assistant coach Willie Green as he learns how NBA defenses are treating him and works to sharpen the finer points of his game, all while adjusting to a tempo that fits with his EuroLeague background. The two rookies are facing very different early tests, but both are part of the same larger question for Dallas: how quickly can this class start looking ready? [Read more 🡒]