Santi Aldama remains limited in Mavericks training camp six months after right knee surgery, though Dusty May says the versatile big man is still working out.
DALLAS — Santi Aldama took part in Dallas Mavericks training camp on a limited basis Saturday and again Sunday, six months after an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.
Mavericks coach Dusty May said after Sunday's practice that Aldama is still working out. The procedure took place March 17, when Aldama was still with the Memphis Grizzlies, and it came with an orthobiologic injection for discomfort in the knee. It ended a 2025-26 season in which he had not played since Feb. 4 against Sacramento.
A day earlier, May had called it a nagging injury and said he did not know the details.
"He's been limited," May said. "… They just say who can go, and that's who we play and practice around that day. But he's been limited with something that happened before. He is working out. It's not as if he's out-out. There are some limitations on that."
Aldama Still Working Through Knee Recovery
May said Sunday's availability matched Saturday's. Dereck Lively II was the one player who did not practice in some form on the first day.
During the open portion of Saturday's session, he did non-basketball work with a trainer while he recovers from December surgery on his right foot. He appeared in seven games last season.
Kyrie Irving, who missed all of 2025-26 after tearing his left ACL, said Friday that he has no restrictions for camp.
Spain went without Aldama in late August. He sat out the national team's FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying window, including games against Portugal on Aug. 28 and Greece on Aug. 31, with both sides choosing not to rush his recovery before his first season in Dallas.
At media day Friday at American Airlines Center, Aldama did not say what he has been cleared to do.
"I'm working on it," Aldama said. "It's been a long summer in that sense. I'm working every day and feeling better every day, so I'm excited to get back out there."
Mavericks Paid Significant Price to Acquire Aldama
The Mavericks sent AJ Johnson, a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick via Golden State, and two future second-round picks to Memphis for Aldama. The deal was folded into a six-team trade that became official July 8.
In 43 games last season, 11 of them starts, Aldama set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists, averaging 14.0, 6.7, and 2.9. His scoring average went up in each of his five seasons in Memphis.
He shot 70-of-200 from 3-point range, 35.0%. Over 278 career games, his mark from deep is 34.6%.
Memphis re-signed him in June 2025 to a three-year deal worth $52.5 million. The 2027-28 season is a $17 million team option.
Dallas' frontcourt also includes Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Lively, and Morez Johnson Jr., whom the Mavericks took ninth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft after he played for May at Michigan. Dallas hired May in June.
May Sees Aldama as Potential Stretch Five
May said Aldama has learned to put the ball on the floor against perimeter defenders. That versatility could give Dallas another way to construct smaller, shooting-heavy lineups.
"Santi, obviously, being a seven-footer, could be a heck of a stretch five in a death lineup," May explained. "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?"
May sees more in Aldama's game than spot-up shooting.
"Lineup versatility, skill, he gives us a different dimension if we want to go with an elite shooting lineup, but Santi's not just a shooter," May continued. "He can read a closeout. He's learned to play against perimeter guys, shot [fake], drive and get in the paint, kick and finish it over. So those will be one of the many challenges and the pieces we have to put together for it to be really good."
The Mavericks open the preseason Oct. 9 against the Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena in Macao, with tipoff set for 7 a.m. CT. The two teams meet there again Oct. 11 at 5 a.m. CT.
The regular season opens Oct. 21 in Houston, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
