Santi Aldama quietly solves Mavericks' longtime hole that has flown under the radar

The Dallas Mavericks traded for Santi Aldama earlier this summer, but this move has seemingly flown under the radar. Dallas' other moves, such as drafting Morez Johnson Jr. and trading for Zaccharie Risacher, have taken center stage, and Aldama is hardly being talked about by most Mavericks fans.

Despite this, the Aldama trade fills a bigger hole than either of the aforementioned moves.

Dallas finally has a big man who can shoot

He gives the Mavericks a floor-spacing big who can knock down open shots, and this is a hole they've had for multiple seasons now. Marvin Bagley III addressed Dallas' need for more shooting in the frontcourt for 22 games last season, and Maxi Kleber was solid when he was healthy during his tenure with the team from 2017 until 2025. Still, neither player was a reliable, long-term solution, and both players are off the roster.

This is an issue that hasn't been talked about enough over the last few years, and last season's roster desperately needed more offensive versatility from its big men.

The Mavericks' center rotation has prioritized rim-rolling bigs for a while. Dwight Powell was the team's starting center before Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford came to town, and the team just drafted Johnson Jr., who has a limited offensive game, for the time being. Most of their bigs are relatively one-dimensional on offense.

But with Aldama on the roster, Dallas' offense has a new element they've missed. They now have a center who can space the floor, drill threes, and open up the offense for everyone else.

Why the Mavericks needed Santi Aldama

Last season was the perfect example of why the Mavericks needed a center who can drain threes. Cooper Flagg surpassed expectations as a finisher during his rookie season, but the paint was constantly clogged.

Dallas' big man was typically lurking in the dunker spot, allowing the opposing team's rim protectors to lurk around the paint to quickly slide over and help when the Mavericks drove to the rim. This made Flagg's life significantly harder, as he was always having to finish over or through a center. He still did an excellent job, but imagine if the other team's centers weren't in a position to help...

This is exactly what changes when adding a floor-spacing center into the mix. Aldama can't be left open from beyond the arc, as he just shot 35 percent from three on 4.7 attempts per game last season. For context of how high volume this is, Aldama would've ranked third among players on Dallas' 15-man roster in 3-pointers attempted per game last season, only trailing Klay Thompson and Max. Christie.

What will Aldama bring to Dallas?

Aldama will immediately become one of the most dangerous shooters on the team, and his ability to play the four and five is extremely appealing for a team that was one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA last season. He just averaged a career-high 14.0 points per game, and his scoring and shooting in the frontcourt will be beneficial for a team that had a poor offense last season.

While Aldama isn't getting the credit he deserves among most MFFLs, he has the skill set to fill a hole that has plagued the Mavericks for years. The trade to bring him in may not have been the flashiest move of the summer, but he's poised to give Dallas' offense a bigger boost than anyone realizes.

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