‘Played In Our Stay-Ready Game’: Dusty May Says Santi Aldama Is Very Close To Dallas Mavericks Debut
DALLAS — Santi Aldama is very close to making his Dallas Mavericks debut, Mavericks coach Dusty May said Friday, after the forward played in the team’s stay-ready game hours before the game against the Houston Rockets.
Aldama remained doubtful for the 7 p.m. CT tip-off at American Airlines Center with his right knee surgery designation, the second straight game he has carried that tag. He has not played since Feb. 4, and he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on March 17 while he was with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Aldama has gone through a couple of practices with the Texas Legends, Dallas’ G League affiliate, May said. Earlier in the same availability, May listed Aldama and Dereck Lively II, whom he called “D-Live,” as the players Dallas still has on the sidelines.
“Santi’s very close,” May said. “He’s practiced with the Legends a couple times. He played in our stay-ready game. We called it the Hunt Club, the Hunt Club today. He looks to be very close.”
“Tarik, and I know Larry had the … Yeah, Larry. Tarik’s getting very close as well,” May continued. “Not quite as close as Santi, it doesn’t appear. But Larry will be reevaluated next week, and we’ll have a much clearer picture.”
Santi Aldama’s Return-To-Play Protocol
On Tuesday, the Mavericks sent Aldama to the Legends to practice as part of his return-to-play protocol. They recalled him later that day. He was doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder before Dallas downgraded him to out. The Mavericks won that one 120-96.
Dallas runs its stay-ready game after shootaround for players who are not in the rotation. Friday’s edition was the Hunt Club, May said, and Aldama was part of it. Two-way guard Walter Clayton Jr. played in the stay-ready game before the Oct. 26 win at Miami and then scored 15 points that night.
Aldama’s Arrival In A Six-Team Trade
Aldama came to Dallas in the six-team trade completed July 8. Marcus Sasser and the draft rights to Tarik Biberović came in the same deal. Aldama spent his first five NBA seasons in Memphis. Last season, he averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 43 games.
Lively has not played since Nov. 21, 2025. Since the Oct. 24 home opener, rookie Morez Johnson Jr. has played on a minutes restriction. Dallas has also used a small-ball lineup without a traditional center, and May did not have the numbers on it in front of him Friday.
“We like a lot of things about that lineup. It gives us more of a stretch-five look, especially teams that are switching one through five. It allows the guys to kind of find the connection to confuse the switches,” May explained. “But it’s been good for us. I don’t have the lineup data in front of me, but off the naked eye and then when we did our lineup data a few days ago, it had performed well together.”
Houston ruled out Alperen Şengün with low back soreness and Steven Adams with a right soleus strain. After Friday, Dallas closes its three-game homestand Monday against the Sacramento Kings.
