Santi Aldama's shooting will immediately be put to the test on the Mavericks

Yes, he can shoot it. But that doesn't necessarily mean he's a good shooter. Dallas Mavericks' offseason acquisition Santi Aldama has knocked down 70 or more threes in each of the last four seasons, but the 7-foot forward is a middling 34.6 percent shooter. Yet, Aldama's shooting will be relied on more than ever in Dallas.

Aldama joins a team with two non-shooting centers in Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, a rookie big in Morez Johnson Jr., who didn't shoot a ton of threes in college, and a frontcourt that also includes Cooper Flagg and P.J. Washington, who shot 29.5 percent and 32.5 percent from deep, respectively, last season.

While there's much more to Aldama's game than shooting the rock, it's a skill that'll be counted on most with the Mavericks. The 25-year-old is departing a team that ranked 12th in 3-point makes and eighth in attempts for Dallas, which placed 29th in makes and 27th in attempts. His floor-spacing ability wasn't as much of a necessity in Memphis, but it surely will be now in Dallas.

Santi Aldama's shooting will be more important in Dallas

Aldama will no longer line up next to a quality frontcourt shooter like Jaren Jackson Jr., whom he spent the second-most time on the court with a season ago, or Desmond Bane, one of the league's premier snipers, whom he spent most of his early seasons in Memphis playing alongside. Aldama now joins a lineup devoid of quality frontcourt shooters and lacking perimeter marksmen across the board.

Consequently, his shooting will be of great importance to Dallas. Of course, his playmaking and off-the-dribble game will be welcomed, especially considering that neither center Gafford nor Lively II offers much creation. Still, his floor-spacing ability will be even more important.

Aldama's swing skill could define his fit with Mavericks

Aldama's swing skill will help open driving lanes for Kyrie Irving, Flagg, and others, but it could also be utilized in pick-and-pop scenarios. Dallas didn't really have a big who could consistently threaten defenses in that capacity, with Washington being the closest thing. Washington was involved in just 1.0 pick-and-roll possessions per game, but Aldama's shooting gives Dallas the potential to utilize the pick-and-pop much more often.

However… that's if he can knock down threes at a respectable clip. If Aldama shoots it as well as he did in 2024-25, when he drained 36.8 percent, he'll add a much-needed element to the Mavericks' offense. But if he reverts to a 34 percent 3-point shooter, or worse, he'll be much more difficult to fit into Dallas' lineup, especially considering the team's existing floor-spacing limitations.

Even though Aldama isn't even an average 3-point shooter (league average hovers around 36 percent), he'll certainly be expected to perform like one. Dallas' lineup needs shooting, and that's a non-negotiable. With Aldama being one of the few bigs capable of taking and making 3-pointers, his swing-shooting skill will be put to the test almost immediately in Dallas.

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