Mavericks forward Saint Aldamawho is returning from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to work out with the Texas Legends as part of the return-to-play protocol, the team announced (via Twitter).
The G League tip-off tournament doesn’t start until November 6th, but training camps started this week, so teams are scrambling to get ready for the season. That gave Aldama a chance to get in the kind of full practice he wouldn’t have gotten on Tuesday with the Mavericks coming off a Monday night game and returning to action on Wednesday.
Aldama, acquired from Memphis in a six-team offseason, has yet to make his Mavericks debut, but the fact that he is a full scrimmage suggests it shouldn’t be long until he is available.
We’ve got more on the Mavs:
- After sitting out Saturday with a sprained left shoulder, Cooper Flagg returned to action Monday and played 40 minutes in a 113-109 road win over Miami. The reigning Rookie of the Year didn’t miss a beat after his brief absence, posting 29 points, six rebounds, five steals, three blocks and, perhaps most notably, a career-high 11 assists. Approving Flagg’s growth as a playmaker, head coach Dusty May predicted he would exceed that number at some point this season, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “When we get to where we’re really finding our rhythm offensively, he’ll have about 15-20 assists a game.” May said. “There is no question.”
- Citing the 2025-26 rookie season split between Memphis and Utah as “up and down” and “a learning year,” the two-way Mavericks Walter Clayton said it’s been a “smooth transition” to his new team, according to Grant Offset of the Dallas Sports Journal. Clayton, who was recruited by May before going to the Gators, ended up being roommates with son Dusty (and current Mavericks employee) in college. Jack May in Florida, according to Mark Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter references). Clayton was one of the standouts in Monday’s win over the Heat, finishing with 15 points, four assists and a team-high +22 in 17 minutes.
- Appearing on the Build or Break podcast (Link to YouTube), former majority owner of the Mavericks Mark Cuban said he learned some “hard lessons” based on how things played out after he agreed to sell his controlling stake in the franchise as Christian Clark of The Athletic relay. As has been well documented, Cuban expected to continue to oversee the team’s basketball operations department, but that didn’t happen after the Dumont and Adelson families took over. “I am a very trusting partner” said Cuban, who is now a minority owner of the Mavs. “When I shake your hand, I mean it. Yes, yes, it was a first for me.”
