The Dallas Mavericks came out of opening night with a clear problem, and it wasn’t hard to spot: the offense just didn’t have enough juice against the Houston Rockets.
That’s where Santi Aldama comes in. Dallas’ biggest offseason addition still hasn’t played after undergoing right knee arthroscopic surgery in March, but he’s been a limited participant in practice lately, which points toward a return that could be close. The Mavericks won’t ask him to solve every issue, especially the team’s lack of off-the-dribble creation, but he can give the offense a cleaner shape and a lot more flexibility.
Aldama brings a skill set Dallas badly needs. Last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, he hit 35 percent from three-point range on nearly five attempts per game, giving the Mavericks a stretch big defenses have to honor.
The 25-year-old Spaniard also offers more than just shooting. He’s a smart cutter, a useful attacker when he closes out against, and someone who can play through contact at the rim.
There’s also value in what he does without the ball. Aldama is a connective passer who can spot openings inside the flow of an offense and make quick decisions in the short roll.
That kind of game fits whether he’s in the starting lineup or anchoring the second unit, and it makes him more dynamic offensively than Dallas’ current starting bigs, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, even if he’s a more average defender than they are.
His return should help in pockets, not overhaul the whole attack. Dallas still needs more help in the guard rotation, and another shooter may be part of the answer down the line. But Aldama should give the second unit more pop and lighten the load on Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving when he shares the floor with them.
He’s also one of the most versatile players on the roster. At 7 feet, he can even slide to small forward if needed, which opens up lineup combinations Dallas otherwise wouldn’t have. If he’s playing either forward spot, the Mavericks can put together a huge defensive frontcourt.
The timing matters, too, because Aldama and Dereck Lively II are both unavailable to start the regular season. Still, Aldama appears close to returning, and that means the evaluation of Dallas’ offensive struggles may need a little patience until he’s back in rhythm. The schedule isn’t going to pause for the Mavericks, though, and they’ll need answers in the meantime.
In Other News...
Mavericks Face Ugly New Questions About How They Defended The Luka Trade
The Luka Doncic trade has already lingered as one of the most jarring moves in recent Mavericks history, but the story around it keeps widening. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Dallas was not just trying to explain why it made the February 2025 deal, it was also allegedly working behind the scenes to shape how Doncic was viewed in the aftermath, a wrinkle that adds a different kind of sting to an already bruising episode.
The backlash had plenty of basketball reasons attached to it, from questions about Doncics defense and conditioning to the larger debate over his legacy and the criticism that followed him into Los Angeles. But if those new allegations hold any weight, the conversation shifts from whether the Mavericks could justify the trade to how far they went in trying to defend it, and that is a far more uncomfortable question for a franchise still trying to move past the deal. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Center Search Keeps Pulling Mavericks Into An Uncomfortable Debate
Los Angeles is still looking for another center even after adding Walker Kessler and signing Kevon Looney, which has kept the Lakers in the market for frontcourt help and, by extension, stirred up more chatter around where they might turn next. Trade discussions have already touched Jericho Sims, and the way the search has dragged on has pushed analysts to keep probing the same theme: if the Lakers want more size, which versatile bigs could realistically fit their roster?
For Mavericks fans, the uncomfortable part is how often that conversation drifts back to familiar names. The Lakers need has prompted speculation about players who can add depth up front, and one of the more interesting options in that orbit is PJ Washington, a player Dallas knows well from its Finals run with Luka Doncic. Even without a deal on the table, the mere fact that the Lakers are still shopping for another big keeps Dallas in the middle of a debate it probably would rather not have to revisit. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Flagg Injury Scare Has Mavericks Fans Holding Their Breath
Cooper Flagg gave the Mavericks a scare against the Pacers when he took a hard foul and came down on his left shoulder, with the contact drawing a Flagrant 1. Dallas listed the issue as left shoulder soreness, and while he was able to stay in the game initially, he did not return after halftime.
For a team still sorting through its early-season rhythm, any injury note on Flagg is going to draw immediate attention. The first designation at least offers some hope that the injury is not viewed as something more serious, but the Mavericks have not offered a detailed update yet, leaving the next postgame check on his condition as the key item to watch. [Read more 🡒]