‘Just Excited To Be Out There’: Santi Aldama Ready For Dallas Mavericks Debut Against Utah Jazz After Knee Recovery That Ran Longer Than Expected
DALLAS — Santi Aldama is listed as probable for Friday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, putting the forward in line to make his Dallas Mavericks debut nine months after his last NBA game.
That game came Feb. 4 with the Memphis Grizzlies. On March 17, Aldama had an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee and an orthobiologic injection, and the surgery ended his season. At the Mavericks’ shootaround Friday morning, he was eager to get back on the floor.
“Very excited,” Aldama said. “It’s been a long time since I last played NBA basketball, so I’m just pumped.”
Dallas acquired Aldama from Memphis in a six-team trade on July 8. On Oct. 27, the Mavericks sent him to practice with the Texas Legends, their G League affiliate, as part of his return-to-play protocol. Nearly eight months after the procedure, he feels really good.
“I wouldn’t say setbacks, but yeah, definitely thought it was going to be a little bit shorter recovery,” Aldama explained, “but that’s part of basketball, that’s part of health and your body, but I feel really good right now, so I’m just excited to get out there.”
Aldama sat out all four preseason games and the first eight of the regular season. Watching a new team from the sideline meant learning from his teammates off the floor.
“It’s been a long journey, obviously, long summer, which just has given me time to reflect, get my body right, get to this moment,” Aldama said. “So it’s never fun when you’re not playing basketball.”
“And just seeing the guys out there, a new team, and just excited to be out there and not being able to contribute on the floor, but learning a lot from the guys off the floor,” Aldama continued. “And really excited about how we’re playing, and just being able to be out there with the guys is going to be huge. So for me tonight, just being thankful and just battling it out with the guys.”
Santi Aldama Expects To Stretch The Floor For Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg
Last season, Aldama averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists across 43 games for Memphis, 11 of them starts. Stretching the floor and knocking down shots is how he plans to make defenses adjust in the system Mavericks coach Dusty May runs.
“Just being able to shoot the ball, put the ball on the floor, make the right read,” Aldama said. “We’re a free team, we play free. Dusty, that’s what he preaches, just make the right read. So for me, being able to stretch the floor, knock down some shots, now the defense has to adjust. So yeah, just playing smart basketball.”
Kyrie Irving missed all of 2025-26 after tearing his ACL in March 2025. Cooper Flagg, the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is the reigning Rookie of the Year.
Before Dallas, Aldama spent five seasons in Memphis playing with Ja Morant. He hopes playing next to guards who get downhill works both ways, with his shooting keeping their defenders from helping.
“A lot,” Aldama said. “When you play with the guys like Kyrie, Cooper, I mean, I obviously play with Ja, but just having guys that have such gravity makes my shots easier because defense has to help.”
“And then at the same time, hopefully I help them because they know I can shoot,” Aldama added. “So now they got to not help as much. And hopefully it’s a two-way thing where at the end of the possession, the Mavs get the best shot available. So I think that’s what I’m really looking forward to.”
Friday is Dallas’ ninth game. Aldama spent his time on the sideline learning the system so he would not be behind once he stepped on the floor.
“Just at that point it was mostly getting healthy and just feeling good with my body,” Aldama said. “But just trying to learn the system so I’m not behind once I step on the floor, and just seeing the strengths of my teammates, which obviously a lot of them I had seen play for years.”
“But it’s different when you see the guys practice, understand better what they do,” Aldama continued. “It’s easier to see tendencies when you see guys all the time. So if I know certain guys have certain tendencies, then I can kind of help them get to that point. And obviously there’s a chemistry-building portion, which takes time for everybody, and especially for me, playing game nine instead of game one. But like I said, I’m just, I’m just excited to be out there.”
Aldama Sees Versatility With P.J. Washington, Backs Walter Clayton Jr.
In Memphis, Aldama played alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzlies traded Jackson to Utah on Feb. 3 in an eight-player deal. He is out Friday with a torn right MCL. Aldama and P.J. Washington both play more on the perimeter, and both are tall and long.
“I think especially with P.J., we can, I think we can, like, switch a lot and just be physical with teams,” Aldama said. “And it’s funny because we’re more perimeter guys.”
“But at the same time, we’re really tall, really big, lengthy,” Aldama noted. “So in that sense, I think we can be very versatile and, like, really, like, game plan based on what we want to do and not based on the personnel we have, because the personnel we have just allows us to do whatever we want.”
Walter Clayton Jr. led Florida to the 2025 national championship. The Washington Wizards drafted him in the first round that June and traded him to Utah, which sent him to Memphis in the Feb. 3 deal for Jackson.
Clayton averaged 9.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in 24 games with the Grizzlies, shooting 36.6% from 3-point range. Memphis waived him in October, and Dallas signed him to a two-way contract on Oct. 21. He scored 15 points off the bench in the Mavericks’ 113-109 win at the Miami Heat on Oct. 26. Aldama overlapped with Clayton in Memphis, and he said the guard has found his spot in Dallas.
“Hell of a shooter,” Aldama said. “Just get guys involved. And I think he had tough first year with two trades. That’s never easy. And I think he’s found his spot here. Just playing free, playing the way he played at Florida, and just seeing that, great guy, hard worker. So I think he’s going to really flourish here.”
May came to Dallas in June from Michigan, which went 34-3 last season. The Wolverines beat UConn 69-63 on April 6 for the national championship.
The Mavericks have dropped two straight, 115-100 at home to the Sacramento Kings on Monday and 112-111 at the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Aldama said May talks to the team about championship teams.
“I think physicality, obviously, being disciplined,” Aldama said. “I think last game was big with fouls and understanding when and where, and also defensive rebounding. That’s something we’ve struggled with.”
“But at the same time, we’re a team that plays free, plays fun basketball,” Aldama added. “We’re selfless. Coach talks about championship teams. He obviously knows a little bit about winning championships. So yeah, just trying to contribute to that and elevate the team, talk. We have really good open dialogue. Everybody feels like they have a voice. And that’s really good, especially long-term. And I’m really excited about that.”
Utah comes into American Airlines Center at 1-7 after six straight losses. Dallas is 4-4, and tip-off for the NBA Cup group-play game is set for 7 p.m. CT.
