Santi Aldama Probable for Mavericks Season Debut

Santi Aldama is finally listed as probable to make his season debut for the Dallas Mavericks this Friday after a knee injury kept him sidelined for the start of the year.

Getting a "probable" tag after weeks of endless "doubtful" and "out" updates feels like finally seeing your food delivery driver turn onto your street. It took forever, but we are officially in business.

"Underdog NBA reported Aldama is listed as probable to make his season debut Friday."

The 25-year-old forward has been recovering from offseason knee surgery and has yet to log a single minute in the 2026 campaign. Dallas has desperately needed the reinforcement, especially with their injury report reading like a CVS receipt lately.

Before you rush to the betting window to hammer the over on his points and rebounds, you need to read the fine print. Team reporters have already flagged that Aldama will almost certainly be operating under a strict minutes restriction as he gets his game legs back.

Sportsbooks are going to heavily bake that limited run into his player props, making him a risky click for anyone expecting immediate fireworks. You are better off waiting to see how he moves before trusting him with your bankroll.

Even in a limited capacity, throwing a 7-foot floor spacer back into the mix gives the Mavericks a massive tactical boost. Dallas needs all the frontcourt depth it can get to survive the Western Conference gauntlet.

Expect Aldama to ease back into the rotation this Friday against the Houston Rockets. If his knee holds up without any lingering soreness, his workload should steadily ramp up over the next couple of weeks.