Santi Aldama enters a contract season worth $17.0 million, with a $17.0 million team option for 2027-28 tied to how this year goes. He is currently day-to-day with a right knee issue and an estimated return of October 1, before Dallas has played a single game.
A Shooting Big, Not A Focal Point
Aldama appeared in 43 games last season, posting 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists over 27.9 minutes a night. He shot 47.9 percent overall and 35.0 percent on 4.7 three-point tries a game, plus 66.7 percent at the line, while adding 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks and only 1.3 turnovers. A 19.1 usage rate confirms the role: a floor-spacing forward, age 25 and in his fifth season, working off Dallas' other scorers rather than carrying the offense himself.
Efficient Individually, Costly On Defense
His true shooting number reached 57.2 percent, a clean mark for a player logging under 30 minutes a night, and his personal offensive rating of 113.6 outpaced Dallas' team-wide 110.3 last season, on a roster that finished 26-56 with the league's 27th-ranked offense. The defense told a different story: a 116.0 defensive rating dragged his net rating to -2.4, close to the team's overall -5.2 mark. He grabbed 11.2 percent of available rebounds and assisted on 15.3 percent of teammate baskets while on the floor, modest inputs for a forward-center expected to swing games at both ends when he plays.
The Money Season Meets A Knee Issue
Aldama is owed $17.0 million in 2026-27, and a $17.0 million team option for 2027-28 hangs on what he produces this year. He is listed day-to-day with a right knee injury, with an estimated return of October 1, a date that falls before Dallas' preseason opener on October 9 against the Rockets and well ahead of the regular-season opener at the Rockets on October 21. That gives him a runway to test the knee before any game counts. What he needs to be is simple to state and harder to guarantee: an efficient, healthy frontcourt shooter for a full season, not the 43-game version the option decision would otherwise be based on.
What is Santi Aldama's contract situation with the Mavericks?
Aldama is set to earn $17.0 million in 2026-27, with a $17.0 million team option for 2027-28.
Is Santi Aldama injured heading into the 2026-27 season?
Yes, he is day-to-day with a right knee issue, with an estimated return date of October 1, 2026.
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