Santi Aldama didn’t need a long warm-up to change the look of the Dallas offense. In his first game back since February, the 7-foot Spaniard grabbed nine rebounds and scored eight points in just 13 minutes of action. The Mavericks won 112-100 over the Utah Jazz on Friday night, but the real story was how Aldama fit right into the system.
Dallas has relied on traditional rim runners for years, but Aldama brings a different skill set. Among players 7-foot or taller since the 2023-24 season, he stands fifth in three-pointers made. That stat alone changes how defenders have to play him. He didn’t hit a three in his debut, yet he still moved the defense with his threat to shoot. Coach Dusty May noticed the shift during the morning shootaround before the game even started.
The Spacing Advantage
The offense needed this kind of versatility to help stars like Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg drive to the basket. May explained that the team has not mapped out strict minute ranges for several players, allowing for flexibility based on flow. “It gives you more spacing,” May said. “Obviously, he’s shot the ball at a high clip his entire life, and we have several guys that are gonna shoot it better.”
Aldama’s ability to stretch the floor forces opposing big men to step out of the paint. This opens driving lanes that were previously clogged by defenders who could ignore traditional centers. The Mavericks struggled with shooting early in the season, making just 33.7 percent of their threes through the first eight games. Aldama’s presence offers a reliable option to pull defenders away from the rim.
Hard Work Over Practice
What makes this debut even more impressive is that Aldama hasn’t practiced with the starting unit yet. He only did walkthroughs with the second team before Friday night. “I haven’t even practiced with these guys,” Aldama said, according to Dallas News. “I’ve done some walkthrough with the second unit, but not the first. The only way where we can find some common ground is playing hard.”
Despite the lack of on-court reps with the starters, his feel for the game was clear. May noted that Aldama makes the concepts and actions make sense for his teammates. “The thing with Santi, though, just his feel for the game and his ability to make a lot of the concepts and actions … He’s got a great feel,” May said, according to Yardbarker. He connected with the offense on his first snap.
Aldama admitted the road back to the court took longer than he expected after his March knee surgery. “I’m just honestly happy to be out there,” he said, according to NBA.com. The Mavericks aren’t fully healthy yet, but his return makes the roster significantly more whole. Now the squad possesses an actual 7-footer capable of stretching the floor and punishing closeouts.
