Santi Aldama gives Mavericks something no other big on the roster can

For years, Dallas Mavericks bigs have routinely operated in the traditional big man capacity — catching lobs, setting picks, and defending the paint. However, the Mavericks have added more of a modern big man: 7-foot Santi Aldama. While Aldama is an above-average marksman for a player of his size, he does so much more than shoot. He can put the ball on the deck, create for himself and others, and score on all three levels.

Santi Aldama is more than a stretch big

Without watching much Aldama, Mavericks fans could certainly box the 25-year-old into a stretch big role. Looking at his numbers, he shot 35.0 percent from three on 4.7 attempts per game a season ago. After all, he was one of only four 7-footers to average at least 1.5 triples per game last season.

Nonetheless, there's much more to Aldama than his 3-point shooting prowess. More than half of Aldama's shot attempts came from inside the arc. Roughly 30 percent of his field goal attempts came at the rim, about 17 percent came from five to nine feet, 11 percent from the mid-range, and the remaining 43 percent from beyond the arc.

Moreover, he wasn't just a spot-up guy either. About 39 percent of Aldama's shot attempts came after taking at least one dribble. In only 43 appearances last season, the Spanish big man attempted 68 pull-ups, meaning he took roughly 1.6 pull-up field-goal attempts per game. That's more than all but four Mavs based on last season's statistics.

That said, far too many players in today's NBA cannot attack a closeout. Whether it be attempting a contested three or passing once defended, it's all too common, especially for bigs. That's not Aldama. The 25-year-old is comfortable putting the ball on the deck and attacking closeouts. He averaged 5.1 drives per game and shot 52.7 percent on such attempts. But, wait… there's more! Aldama recorded a 10.1 assist percentage to only a 3.2 turnover percentage.

Aldama brings another element to the Mavericks

Again, Dallas really didn't have that type of big. Of course, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Moussa Cisse are the lone true bigs, so there isn't much of a comparison there. As for P.J. Washington, he averaged more drives than Aldama, but averaged fewer points and recorded a higher turnover percentage than assist percentage on drives. Still, he's not even the most apt comparison considering Washington is 6-foot-7.

Aldama isn't necessarily a unicorn in today's post-modern NBA, but for the Mavericks, he definitely is. Aldama adds an entirely different dimension. Whether it be a spot-up threat, a pick-and-pop partner for Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg, or a player capable of attacking close-outs, Aldama can do it all offensively.

For a Mavericks squad that has lacked this type of offensive versatility from its bigs, Aldama will provide something entirely different. His ability to stretch the floor while also putting the ball on the deck and creating gives Dallas another wrinkle offensively — one its other bigs can't replicate.

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