Dallas Mavericks wing Santi Aldama has gotten a key injury update ahead of the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season.
The Dallas Mavericks have had an interesting offseason, headlined by the addition of Dusty May as their new head coach, as the team looks to build around Cooper Flagg. One of the more underrated additions of the offseason for Dallas was former Memphis Grizzlies wing Santi Aldama, who should provide some length and versatility for the Mavericks this year.
Recently, it was announced that Aldama would miss the World Cup qualifiers this offseason due to injury recovery, and now, NBA insider Marc Stein has provided the latest update on the wing’s health.
“The belief in Dallas, I’m told, is Santi Aldama will be ready for training camp when practices start (Sept. 23-ish). Aldama had mid-March knee surgery. The Mavs and Rockets are able to hold practices before the leaguewide Sept. 29 start because they play preseason games abroad,” reported Stein on X, formerly Twitter.
Aldama provided some savvy playmaking, outside shooting, and defensive switchability during his time with the Grizzlies, all of which Dallas has prioritized when looking to construct a roster around Flagg this summer. The Mavericks also went out and added former number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher from the Atlanta Hawks to the mix, giving the team more length and athleticism on the wing.
These moves, combined with the comeback of Kyrie Irving after missing the entire 2025-26 season due to ACL injury recovery, could be enough to make the Mavericks at least an intriguing team, if not a contender, in the Western Conference next season. Meanwhile, Flagg will look to take the next step in his development after winning Rookie of the Year, with a consistent outside jumper being the next tool to add to his arsenal.
The Mavericks’ season is slated to begin on October 21 vs the Houston Rockets.
The Dallas Mavericks have had an interesting offseason, headlined by the addition of Dusty May as their new head coach, as the team looks to build around Cooper Flagg. One of the more underrated additions of the offseason for Dallas was former Memphis Grizzlies wing Santi Aldama, who should provide some length and versatility for the Mavericks this year.