As the Mavericks head toward Wednesday’s season opener against the Rockets, one of the biggest questions hanging over the roster is still Santi Aldama’s availability.
Aldama, who is expected to be a key reserve this season, is still without a timetable to return after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in March. Head coach Dusty May said he “doesn’t know yet” whether the Spanish big man will be able to play on opening night, according to Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News.
That uncertainty matters because Aldama brings a different kind of value to the frontcourt. His ability to stretch the floor and create his own shot gives him a skill set none of the other big men on the roster quite matches, and that versatility should make him workable alongside any of them. For May, that kind of fit could open up a wider range of lineup looks.
The injuries to Aldama and Dereck Lively II have also changed the shape of the frontcourt conversation more than the Mavericks likely expected. What once looked like a logjam has turned into a deeper look at the bench, and it has left the team still sorting out the final big man roster spot between veteran Dwight Powell and rookie Moussa Cisse.
P.J. Washington is another frontcourt piece whose shooting may end up being central to how Dallas builds around Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg.
In Friday’s loss to the Hawks, when the Mavericks used something close to their healthy lineup, Washington took eight three-pointers, most of them catch-and-shoot looks, and made two. Christian Clark writes for The Athletic that those opportunities are likely to keep coming, and Washington’s willingness to fire will matter.
As May put it, “A reluctant open shooter analytically and statistically is really bad for your offensive flow,” May said.
There’s also real intrigue around Sergio De Larrea, the 6’6″ point guard selected 25th overall in the 2026 Draft. He made a strong case in preseason, appearing in four games and averaging 9.5 points, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block in 25.5 minutes per game while knocking down 8-of-12 from deep.
With Irving in and out, De Larrea finished with 20 total assists, the most on the team in the preseason. Dallas is light in the backcourt, and Clark said he wouldn’t be surprised if the rookie is in May’s opening night rotation on Wednesday.
The other rookie, Morez Johnson Jr., got less time on the floor because of a lower-body injury, appearing in just two preseason games and totaling 26.3 minutes. Even so, Clark reports that May clearly values his energy and his feel for both ends of the court.
Johnson’s mobility let May try out a switch-heavy defense, and that setup could create some interesting pairings with Flagg, who offers similar defensive versatility. Despite the limited preseason run, Johnson is fully expected to be part of the rotation on Wednesday.
In Other News...
Mavericks Just Sent A Clear Message About Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks made their intentions plain this week with Cooper Flagg, locking in the third-year rookie scale option and ensuring the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year stays under contract through the 2027-28 season. For a team still sorting out the shape of its next contender, it is a clear sign that Flagg remains central to whatever comes next, especially as he heads into his second season under new head coach Dusty May.
Dallas also kept trimming the edges of the roster as the 2026-27 opener approaches, waiving guards John Poulakidas and Seth Lundy in the process. Those moves are part of the usual late-summer cleanup, but they also sharpen the focus on the players the Mavericks are choosing to build around, with Flagg now firmly at the center of that picture. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Still Have One Intriguing Question As Opening Night Nears
The Mavericks wrapped up the preseason with a lopsided loss to Atlanta, but the bigger takeaway coming out of the exhibition slate is how much uncertainty still hangs over the group as opening night approaches. First-year coach Dusty May has been encouraged by the way the roster is beginning to fit together, and he singled out the early chemistry around veteran Kyrie Irving and rookie Cooper Flagg as a promising sign for a team trying to establish a new identity.
Even with that optimism, the most basic lineup question has not been answered yet. May is still sorting through his options and says he will wait until closer to game time before settling on a starting five, which leaves one of the Mavericks' most important decisions unresolved just as the regular season is about to begin. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Face An Early Risacher Decision That Could Frustrate Fans
Zaccharie Risachers preseason with the Mavericks left a little of everything on the table: flashes of the talent that made him such an intriguing young piece, but not enough consistent production to make the decision at shooting guard feel settled. He is still part of the teams young core, and the long view clearly matters here, but the early read is that he has more to prove before the coaching staff can comfortably hand him a prominent role.
For Dallas, the question is less about upside than reliability in the regular season opener. Risacher needs to sharpen both ends of the floor if he wants to push his way into the starting lineup, and the coaching staff has another option it can trust while he develops. Fans may want the upside play immediately, but the more practical path could be the one that keeps Risacher in reserve until he shows he can deliver it in minutes that really count. [Read more 🡒]