Dallas Mavericks Assign Santi Aldama To Texas Legends To Practice In Return From Knee Surgery
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks assigned forward Santi Aldama to the Texas Legends on Tuesday so he could practice with their G League affiliate as part of his return-to-play protocol.
Aldama will scrimmage with the Legends and be recalled to Dallas after practice. He will not appear in any games for Texas, which opens its first season under Legends coach Nate Mitchell on Nov. 8 in Mexico City.
Since a July trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, Aldama has yet to play for the Mavericks. Dallas held him out of all four preseason games and the first four games of the regular season.
Santi Aldama’s Recovery From Right Knee Surgery
Aldama had an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on March 17, while he was still with Memphis. The procedure came with an orthobiologic injection to address discomfort in the knee, and it ended his season.
In that season, his fifth with the Grizzlies, Aldama averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 27.9 minutes. He played 43 games and started 11 of them. He made 35.0% of his 3-point attempts.
Memphis traded him to Dallas on July 8. The Grizzlies received AJ Johnson, a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick that originally belonged to Golden State, and two future second-round picks.
Spain wanted Aldama for its FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers in August. He and the federation decided against rushing the knee before his first season in Dallas, and he sat out the window.
When training camp opened in late September, Aldama was still limited, and the Mavericks’ medical staff went day by day on what he could do.
“I’m working on it. It’s been a long summer in that sense,” Aldama said. “I’m working every day and feeling better every day, so I’m excited to get back out there.”
Before the team left for Macao, Mavericks coach Dusty May said Aldama has learned to put the ball on the floor against perimeter defenders.
“Santi, obviously, being a seven-footer, could be a heck of a stretch five in a death lineup,” May said. “The problem is the other teams don’t put the fives on him. Do we have a group that can go punish a five elsewhere or can he punish a three man or four man, whoever they put on him?”
Aldama’s Absences And The Dallas Mavericks’ Schedule
Aldama sat out both games in Macao against the Houston Rockets and the Oct. 14 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. On Oct. 15, May did not expect him to play in the preseason finale against the Atlanta Hawks the next night.
“I don’t think Santi will, but he’s getting much, much closer,” May said. “He’s progressing.”
Dallas listed Aldama as doubtful for the Oct. 21 regular-season opener at Houston before ruling him out. The Mavericks lost that game 128-110.
With Aldama out, Dallas won 121-105 at the Indiana Pacers on Friday, lost 122-106 at home to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, and won 113-109 at the Miami Heat on Monday. The Mavericks are 2-2.
Dallas hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. CT at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks host Houston on Friday at 7 p.m. CT.
