On Wednesday, the Mavericks made their first big splash of the summer in trading for Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama. In a deal in which the Mavericks also acquired the rights to draft Turkish sharpshooter Tarik Biberovic, Dallas sent A.J. Johnson, a 2030 first-round pick (via Golden State), and two second-round picks to Memphis. The move gives the Mavericks more scoring off the bench and a big man who can space the floor.
Why Dallas did it
There’s no doubt the Mavericks need more scoring, especially from the perimeter.
New team president Masai Ujiri has an affinity with big, scoring forwards, and Santi Aldama is exactly that. During Ujiri’s tenure with the Toronto Raptors, he drafted names like O.G Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Scotty Barnes. He loves a forward who can put the ball in the hoop. Aldama was drafted by the Utah Jazz 30th overall in the 2021 NBA draft and later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he’s spent his entire career. He’s a known Dallas killer, so at bare minimum, he’s one less problem to worry about in the four meetings with the Grizzlies during the regular season.
For the Mavericks, adding a 25-year-old scoring big for what they had to give up is a win. A.J. Johnson wasn’t going to be a long-term piece for Dallas, and the Golden State pick won’t be great (top 20-protected). If this is the return for Aldama, you have to pull the trigger. But it does create a traffic jam at power forward/center for the Mavericks. It’s been widely speculated that some other names potentially on the move could include P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. There are still some uncertainties in the frontcourt for Dallas. This week, the Mavericks extended a qualifying offer to Moussa Cisse, but he can seek a better deal elsewhere, and Marvin Bagley III has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets. But the Mavericks drafting Morez Johnson Jr. signaled a change for Dallas in the frontcourt, and more moves are likely to be made. Dallas will absorb Aldama’s $17 million per year into its $20 million trade exception from the Anthony Davis trade
What Aldama brings
Cooper Flagg needs scoring around him. The Mavericks just need scoring in general. Santi Aldama brings that and with size. In the 2025-2026 season, the 7-foot, 215-pound Spaniard averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 47.9% from the floor and 35% from three in 28 minutes. Until last season, in which he only played 43 games due to knee surgery, Aldama had three consecutive seasons of playing at least 60 games. So as a general statement, he’s durable, and the Mavericks desperately need that from their frontcourt. For his career, Aldama has averaged 10.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
Although he’s not great defensively, Dallas shouldn’t be a weak defensive team, so you can still have him guard the four. His weakest link is guarding in space, so if he has to guard a forward who can operate from the high post or put the ball on the floor, it could be a problem, but overall, not a major concern. For what Aldama brings as a three-level scoring threat, you take the bad with the good.
Memphis received financial flexibility, and Dallas got more scoring. Both sides won.
Looking ahead
As we continue to charge through the offseason, in what has been a very bizarre offseason for many teams, very few things are off the table for the Mavericks to consider. There will likely be more names on the move, but for now, the Mavs added a scoring big, and in today’s NBA, that’s not a bad thing.
