The Mavericks may have made a quieter summer move than most people noticed, but Santi Aldama could end up solving one of their most persistent problems.
Dallas has drawn more attention for other additions, including drafting Morez Johnson Jr. and trading for Zaccharie Risacher, yet Aldama may be the more important fit. He brings something the Mavericks have lacked for multiple seasons: a big man who can stretch the floor.
That kind of presence changes the shape of an offense. Dallas has spent years leaning on rim-rolling centers, from Dwight Powell before Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford arrived, to a roster that still featured bigs with limited offensive range. Johnson Jr. was just drafted and remains limited on that end for now, which makes Aldama’s skill set stand out even more.
Aldama gives the Mavericks a center who can knock down open looks and keep defenses honest. Marvin Bagley III helped address the frontcourt shooting issue for 22 games last season, and Maxi Kleber was useful when healthy during his run with the team from 2017 until 2025. But neither represented a dependable long-term answer, and both are now gone.
The need was easy to see last season. Cooper Flagg surpassed expectations as a finisher during his rookie season, but the paint stayed crowded.
Dallas often had its big man parked in the dunker spot, which let opposing rim protectors stay near the basket and rotate quickly when drives came in. That made Flagg’s job tougher, forcing him to finish over or through a center possession after possession.
A floor-spacing big changes that math. Aldama shot 35 percent from three on 4.7 attempts per game last season, so defenses can’t simply ignore him on the perimeter.
That volume would have placed him third among Dallas players on last season’s 15-man roster in 3-point attempts per game, behind only Klay Thompson and Max. Christie.
The appeal goes beyond the shooting alone. Aldama can play both the four and the five, and he just posted a career-high 14.0 points per game. For a Mavericks team that was one of the worst shooting teams in the league last season, that kind of frontcourt scoring matters.
The move may not have turned heads when it happened earlier this summer, but Aldama has the tools to address a hole Dallas has carried for years. Even if he has flown under the radar, he could wind up making a bigger offensive difference than most fans realize.
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