Max Christie is trending toward the Dallas Mavericks’ season opener, while Santi Aldama is still fighting his way back with less than 48 hours to go before tipoff in Houston.
Christie was on the court for practice Monday and has been cleared, according to coach Dusty May. Dallas opens Wednesday night against the Rockets at Toyota Center, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
“Max was cleared,” May said. “He had a mileage limit, but we went under that.”
Christie missed Friday’s preseason finale against Atlanta, though May didn’t explain that absence at the time. He had already shown his scoring touch against Houston in Macao, putting up 14 points in each game, and he also started the 101-97 home loss to New Orleans on Oct. 14.
That return matters for a player who quietly gave Dallas plenty last season. Christie posted a career-best 12.3 points per game, appeared in 77 games and knocked down 40.4% of his 3s.
The bigger uncertainty remains Aldama. He has yet to play in any of Dallas’ four preseason games, and on Monday he still wasn’t through a full practice. May said Aldama did some contact work, but not everything with the group.
“He did some activity with bodies, but it wasn't a full practice,” May said.
Dallas acquired Aldama in a six-team trade on July 8 after five seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. His 2025-26 season was cut short by a March 17 arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, and in 43 games last season with Memphis he produced career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
May said on Sunday he still didn’t know whether Aldama would be available Wednesday, and Monday’s update didn’t fully settle it.
The Mavericks also made a roster move Monday, waiving Dwight Powell and ending his 12-season run with the team. Powell had signed on a non-guaranteed contract Sept. 25, and the move got Dallas down to 15 standard contracts before the league’s roster deadline. He averaged 6.5 points across his 12 seasons in Dallas.
That leaves Moussa Cissé still in the mix, and there may be a real opening for minutes. The second-year center joined Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2025 on a two-way deal before having it converted to a standard contract by the end of his rookie season. He also tweaked his left ankle against New Orleans on Oct. 14, but May said he’s making progress.
“Improving, getting his lower body stronger,” May explained. “He's made strides.
He puts pressure on the rim as a rim-roller. He's eager.
He's in here working. Just continue with the upward trajectory of getting better, especially with injuries and things like that, the opportunity should be there for him to get some game minutes.”
Monday also came and went without a rookie-scale extension for Lively, whose 5 p.m. CT deadline passed.
He’ll make $7,239,131 in the final year of his rookie deal. Marcus Sasser, who made his preseason debut Friday, also did not get a new contract and will earn $5,198,983.
Both players can become restricted free agents next summer if Dallas extends qualifying offers.
In Other News...
Dwight Powells Mavericks Run Is Over And Fans Want Answers
Dwight Powells long Mavericks run has come to an end, and for a player who spent years as one of the more familiar faces on the roster, the timing made the news land with a little extra weight. Dallas waived Powell along with guards Seth Lundy and John Poulakidas, closing the book on a tenure that saw Powell become one of the franchises steadiest presences and a part of multiple playoff pushes.
Dusty May praised Powells professionalism and the way he contributed to the team, which only sharpened the sense that this was a meaningful move rather than a routine roster shuffle. Powell ranks fifth in team history in games played, so any exit like this naturally invites questions about what comes next for the frontcourt and how the Mavericks are shaping their depth chart as they keep moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Make A Surprising Guard Move Right Before Opening Night
Just before opening night, the Mavericks added another young guard to a roster that is still taking shape around rookie Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Walter Clayton Jr., a former first-round NBA draft pick and the 2025-26 NCAA mens basketball national champion, is heading to Dallas on a two-way deal after his time with the Memphis Grizzlies ended.
The fit also comes with a familiar face. Clayton is reuniting with coach Dusty May, who once recruited him in college, giving the Mavericks a connection point as they keep sorting out the back end of a rebuilding roster. For a team looking for upside and flexibility, Clayton arrives with a fresh opportunity and a chance to make the most of a late move before the season gets going. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Take A Needed Backcourt Flier Behind Kyrie Irving
The Mavericks added another name to the backcourt mix by bringing in Walter Clayton Jr. on a two-way deal, a move that gives them a little more insulation behind Kyrie Irving. Clayton arrives with a reputation for playmaking and enough promise from his college run to make him an intriguing depth piece, especially for a roster that can never really have too many ball-handlers when the games tighten up.
For Dallas, the appeal is in the possibility, not the certainty. Clayton is still in the early part of his pro career, but the Mavericks clearly see a chance to develop a guard who can handle some point-guard duties and give the team another option when Irving needs help or rest. To clear the way, the front office made a corresponding roster move, underscoring how small margins can be when a team is trying to shore up its bench. [Read more 🡒]