Mavs Notes: Aldama, Flagg, Clayton, Cuban
Mavericks forward Santi Aldama, who is making his way back from an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to practice with the Texas Legends as part of his return to play protocol, the team announced (via Twitter).
The G League’s Tip-Off Tournament won’t begin until November 6, but training camps got underway this week, so teams are scrimmaging as they prepare for the season. That provided Aldama with the opportunity to take part in the sort of full practice that he wouldn’t get on Tuesday with the Mavericks, who are coming off a Monday night game and are back in action on Wednesday.
Aldama, acquired from Memphis in a six-team offseason trade, has yet to make his Mavericks debut, but the fact that he’s fully participating in scrimmages suggests that it shouldn’t be much longer until he’s available.
We have more on the Mavs:
- After sitting out on Saturday due to a sprained left shoulder, Cooper Flagg returned to action on Monday and played 40 minutes in a 113-109 road win over Miami. The reigning Rookie of the Year didn’t miss a beat following his brief absence, racking up 29 points, six rebounds, five steals, three blocks, and – perhaps most notably – 11 assists, which matched a career high. Lauding Flagg’s growth as a play-maker, head coach Dusty May predicted he’ll exceed that figure at some point this season, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “If we get to where we’re really finding our rhythm offensively, he’s gonna have some 15, 20 assist games,” May said. “There’s no question.”
- Referring to a 2025/26 rookie season split between Memphis and Utah as “up and down” and a “learning year,” Mavericks two-way player Walter Clayton said it has been a “seamless transition” to his new team, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal. Clayton, who was recruited by May before committing to the Gators, ended up as college roommates with Dusty’s son (and current Mavericks staffer) Jack May at Florida, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter links). Clayton was one of the standouts in Monday’s win over the Heat, with 15 points, four assists, and a team-high +22 mark in 17 minutes.
- Appearing on the Build or Break podcast (YouTube link), former Mavericks majority owner 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 relays. 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’m a really trusting partner,” said Cuban, who is now a Mavs minority owner. “If I shake your hand, I mean it. So, yeah, that was a first for me.”
Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Marshall, Injuries, De Larrea
The Mavericks announced Saturday that Cooper Flagg would be reevaluated “next week” after he suffered a mild left shoulder sprain in the second quarter of Friday’s game at Indiana. However, it sounds like he won’t be out long.
After initially listing Flagg as questionable for Monday’s game vs. Miami, the Mavs have now upgraded him to probable, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal, who writes that last year’s No. 1 overall pick went through the team’s shootaround this morning.
Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year winner, missed Saturday’s home opener against San Antonio with the injury.
Here’s more on the Mavericks:
- While Flagg seemingly has a good chance to return tonight, Dallas will still be shorthanded, as Naji Marshall has been ruled out with an illness, Afseth adds. Caleb Martin was initially listed as doubtful after missing the first three games of the season with a sprained right thumb, but he has been downgraded to out. Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery) and Tarik Biberovic (right heel bursitis) remain sidelined — all three players have yet to make their season debuts (or NBA debut, in Biberovic’s case).
- With Flagg and Kyrie Irving (ACL management) out Saturday on the second of a back-to-back, the Mavs’ loss to the Spurs was predictable. However, rookie guard Sergio de Larrea was a bright spot, registering 21 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), five rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes after recording zero points in eight minutes across his first two NBA appearances, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I thought he was great,” head coach Dusty May said. “His defense is improving. I thought his on-ball defense got better. He was chasing down long rebounds. “Overall, just a really, really good game by a young player against one of the best defensive backcourts, when you factor in (Stephon) Castle and (Devin) Vassell and those guys.”
- May suggested de Larrea, the 25th overall pick in June’s draft, might have earned more playing time with his performance, per Afseth. “I mean, obviously this was a great opportunity for him. He didn’t get the same last night in Indiana for obvious reasons, with Coop and Kyrie getting those minutes,” May said. “But he’s certainly earned more and more trust, and he’s played like this pretty consistently. When you factor in Summer League, the exhibition play (preseason), and in practice, he has a great mindset every day. So 33 minutes against a team like San Antonio, that’s a good night for (de Larrea).”
And-Ones: Smith, Vegas, G League Trades, Breakout Team, More
Former NBA guard Kenny Smith, who has been an analyst for “Inside the NBA” for since 1998, has joined the prospective ownership group of Marc Lasry and Steve Apostolopoulos, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
According to Haynes, the group is still in contention for a potential NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas. Haynes hears Smith has raised 20 percent of the bid.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- A few noteworthy trades have happened in the NBA G League over the past week. The Westchester Knicks have acquired the returning player rights to veteran NBA guard Elfrid Payton in a trade with the Austin Spurs, according to the team (Twitter link). The Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston’s affiliate) have acquired the rights to Sean Pedulla in a four-team deal after he was waived by the Rockets, though the second-year guard has since signed a two-way contract with the Kings (Twitter link via the Vipers). The Coachella Valley Lakers (Twitter link) have acquired the rights to Micah Potter, Stanley Umude, James Banks III and Isaiah Miller from Austin in exchange for the rights to Malik Williams. Potter is currently on a non-guaranteed standard contract with the Trail Blazers.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic names his 12-man All-Breakout team for the 2026/27 season. In addition to obvious selections like Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Spurs guard Dylan Harper, Hollinger’s breakout candidates also include lesser-known names such as Bulls forward Leonard Miller and Grizzlies two-way guard Javon Small. Young big men Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Alex Sarr (Wizards) and Kel’el Ware (Bucks) are among the other players on Hollinger’s list.
- In a column that was released shortly after Monday’s deadline, Hollinger of The Athletic explains why he’s “at least somewhat bullish” on all seven of the rookie scale extensions that were signed this offseason. Hollinger was “perhaps the most suspicious” of the five-year, $155MM deal Keyonte George signed with the Jazz, but he still thinks the rising young guard has a chance to live up to that contract, which begins in 2027/28 and includes $2.5MM in unlikely incentives that could increase the total value to $157.5MM.
Cooper Flagg (Left Shoulder) To Be Reevaluated Next Week
After injuring his left shoulder during Friday’s win in Indiana, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg underwent an MRI, which revealed a mild left shoulder sprain, the team announced today (via Twitter).
According to the Mavs, Flagg will be out for Saturday’s home opener vs. San Antonio and will reevaluated next week.
While it’s obviously never great news when a player gets hurt, it sounds like Flagg avoided a major injury. He’ll likely miss at least a few games — Dallas also plays Monday, Wednesday and Friday — depending on when he’s checked out again and how much progress he makes in the coming days.
The first overall pick in the 2025 draft, Flagg won the Rookie of the Year award in 2025/26 after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks in 70 appearances (33.5 minutes per game). The former Duke star has averaged 23.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 3.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG through two games (25.0 MPG) in ’26/27.
As Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal writes, Flagg is one of 10 Mavericks on Saturday’s injury report. Six have either been ruled out or are doubtful to suit up, while four who played Friday — Kyrie Irving (left knee injury management), Max Christie (right shin contusion), Zaccharie Risacher (right hip soreness) and Morez Johnson Jr. (right shin splints) — are considered questionable Saturday.
Head coach Dusty May said prior to Friday’s game that Dallas was taking a cautious approach to injuries in the first week of the season, Afseth notes.
Injury Notes: Flagg, Banchero, Duren, Ighodaro
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was forced out of Friday’s game in Indiana due to a left shoulder injury after he was fouled hard by Aaron Nesmith on a fast break, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic.
As Clark writes, Flagg suffered the injury late in the second quarter, when Dallas was up 33 points. Nesmith received a flagrant foul 1 for the play, and he and Naji Marshall both got technicals after Marshall came to his teammate’s defense, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
While Flagg stayed in the game to take — and make — two free throws, he immediately subbed out afterward and was later ruled out with left shoulder soreness. Marshall started the second half with the reigning Rookie of the Year sidelined, Curtis adds (via Twitter).
Flagg was in the midst of a stellar game prior to the injury, Clark notes, recording 14 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and a block in just 17 minutes. Head coach Dusty May said Flagg will be “evaluated the next couple days,” according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), which suggests the 19-year-old might be sidelined for Saturday’s home opener against San Antonio.
“Nesmith’s a great guy. Heck of a player. I’ve known him since he was in high school. An unfortunate play,” May said of the incident (Twitter video link from Curtis). “Hopefully Coop’s fine, but obviously it’s something we wish wouldn’t have happened.”
Here are a few more noteworthy injury updates from around the NBA:
- Another former No. 1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year winner, Magic forward Paolo Banchero, experienced right ankle soreness in Friday’s home loss to Minnesota (Twitter link via the team). He was deemed doubtful to return in the fourth quarter and didn’t end up making it back on the court with the game out of reach — the Magic dropped their second straight contest to fall to 0-2. As Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel tweets, head coach Sean Sweeney didn’t offer much of an update on Banchero after the loss beyond confirming his ankle was sore and stating he would continue to be evaluated.
- All-Star center Jalen Duren, who re-signed with the Pistons this offseason on a five-year, $200MM deal as a restricted free agent, suffered a right thigh injury during Friday’s road game in Miami, the team announced (via Twitter). While Duren is considered questionable to return, Paul Reed started the third quarter, notes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), and Duren has yet to check back in.
- Big man Oso Ighodaro, who appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Suns last season, will miss Saturday’s contest due to a strained right oblique, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Head coach Jordan Ott seemed relatively optimistic about the injury, which occurred late in the second quarter of Wednesday’s lopsided loss in Portland, Rankin adds (Twitter video link). “Pretty good report overall. It’s an oblique strain. He’ll be out for sure tomorrow,” Ott said of Ighodaro, who recently signed a three-year, $29MM extension. “We hope it’s just more day-to-day than long-term. I think we avoided something serious.” Phoenix is already thin at center, with Mark Williams out several months following shoulder surgery. Khaman Maluach and Duop Reath are candidates for more playing time in the short term.
Mavericks Exercise Third-Year Option On Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks have exercised their rookie scale team option on Cooper Flagg for the 2027/28 season, the team announced today in a press release.
The move locks in Flagg’s $15.2MM salary for ’27/28. He’ll earn about $14.5MM this season and the Mavs will have to exercise his $19.2MM option for ’28/29 a year from now.
Picking up Flagg’s option was a no-brainer for Dallas after the No. 1 overall pick was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year last season at age 19. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 33.5 minutes per game while making 46.8% of his field goal attempts in 70 outings (all starts).
It’s worth noting that teams exercising rookie scale team options usually announce them all at the same time, and the Mavs’ statement today doesn’t say anything about 2024’s first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, whose contract includes a $17.4MM rookie scale team option for ’27/28.
Dallas has until November 2 to make a final decision on Risacher’s option, so omitting him from today’s announcement doesn’t necessarily mean that option won’t be picked up within the next couple weeks. Still, it’s notable that the Mavs have yet to finalize that decision, especially since the former Hawk started all four of Dallas’ preseason games, averaging 12.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per contest.
We’re tracking all of the 2027/28 rookie scale team option decisions right here.
Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Irving, Risacher, China Trip
Cooper Flagg lived up to his star billing at the NBA’s China Games, turning in a performance that matched the off-court hype, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Flagg’s picture was posted on the side of buildings to promote the event, and he released his personal New Balance logo at a mall in Macao.
Once the games started, Flagg offered a reminder of why he’s the reigning Rookie of the Year and may be destined for more awards in his second NBA season. Playing a combined 45 minutes in the two games, he finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. Windhorst observes that he was aggressively looking for his shots and was able to create scoring opportunities for teammates.
“He’s going to lead this franchise into the future. You can definitely bank on that,” Kyrie Irving said. “He deserves a lot of the praise he’s gotten because he’s carried a lot. … He’s wise beyond his years.”
Flagg has already established himself as the Mavericks’ cornerstone for the future, even though he won’t turn 20 until December. After leading the team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals last season, Flagg feels more confident now that he’s become familiar with the league.
“I felt at points last year I was going in blind a little bit,” he said. “Obviously, I hadn’t been through a lot of those experiences before. So, I think just having that this year is a big help. Just feeling prepared, feeling ready. There’s a lot less to worry about.”
There’s more on the Mavericks:
- After returning to the court on Sunday for the first time in 19 months, Irving told reporters that he hasn’t thought about when he might retire, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “Ever since I came into the league, I’ve learned a lot of lessons about my body, a lot of lessons about getting knocked off kind of the top spot, or where you are at your peak, and then having to go through some of those rehab sessions and just kind of reconstruct who you are on the court,” Irving said. “And I’ve had the, I don’t want to call it a luxury, but I’ve had the experience of just having traumatic injuries and coming back, and I’m grateful I’ve been able to lean on that experience. So I’m gonna keep playing as long as I love just being in the NBA, being around camaraderie, being in a locker room.”
- Zaccharie Risacher turned in his second straight solid performance on Sunday, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Afseth adds in a separate story. The former No. 1 pick is making a strong impression after being acquired in a trade with Atlanta this summer. “We challenged Zach to simply rebound better, and he got a couple offensive rebounds,” coach Dusty May said. “He’s got great instincts for the ball. So he’s really just learning how to play off of his teammates, and then you throw P.J. (Washington) in, you throw Kyrie in, and so these guys are all still learning themselves. There’s several combinations that have never played together, and we’re figuring it out on the fly.”
- In a subscriber-only story, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News looks at the economic benefits of the team’s trip to Macao and how it may eventually relate to a new facility in Dallas.
Southwest Notes: Irving, Flagg, Smith Jr., Jones Garcia
Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will be back on the court Sunday in China, playing for the first time since tearing his left ACL in a March 3, 2025, game, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal. Irving was hoping to return at some point last season, but he told reporters on Thursday that he suffered a Grade 2 calf strain in December that slowed his progress.
Irving has been able to practice without issue since training camp opened while serving as a leader for his mostly youthful teammates. New head coach Dusty May said his influence has been immense.
“He’s been unbelievable in practice as far as leadership and mentoring the younger players. He’s a wealth of knowledge, and so we’re encouraging him to share as much of that with everyone as possible,” May said. “Just excited to see him back on the court again. There have been several times in practice when you’re watching him play and you realize how much gravity and leverage he provides for the other guys. And so I think that’s one area where we can make a big improvement offensively, simply having a floor general like him on the court with a young group. I think it will open up a number of things.”
Rockets star Kevin Durant, who played in Friday’s opener but will sit out Sunday’s contest, said he recently talked to Irving about his rehab process, Afseth states in a separate story.
“Just being around Kai, his work ethic is second to none,” Durant said. “His approach to the game, mentally, is second to none. He’s just a savant. When you think about basketball, you think about him. So I’m looking forward to seeing him back on the floor. I know him as a human being, though. He’s a little anxious and excited. I wouldn’t say nervous, anxious to get back out there and just get in the flow of things. So I’m excited for him, man.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg would welcome the chance to play for Team USA in the 2027 World Cup, Afseth adds in another article. Flagg scored 17 points in the second quarter of the preseason opener on Friday, but he wasn’t used in the second half. “No, I haven’t really thought about it,” Flagg told reporters. “Obviously, I’ve played for USA before, in the under-17s and stuff like that. I’m always looking forward to being able to represent my country, and that’s something that I take a lot of pride in.”
- Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. set career highs last season with 15.8 points and 1.9 assists per game, as well as a 54.1% effective field goal percentage, but the No. 3 pick in the 2022 draft still hasn’t developed any of his skills to an elite level, Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link) states in an individual season preview.
- David Jones Garcia feels “reborn” after recovering from a broken ankle he suffered in a G League game in January, relays Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). The 24-year-old small forward is in camp with the Spurs on a two-way contract and is being given a chance to compete for the final roster spot. He played his first competitive game in nine months on Thursday. “He looks healthy,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “If people didn’t know, I don’t think someone would say he looks like someone coming off an injury like that.”
Mavericks’ Dumont Talks Arena, Ujiri, Cuban, More
With their lease at American Airlines Center set to expire in 2031, the Mavericks would like to move into a new arena for the 2031/32 season, but there’s still no timeline for when construction might begin on a new building, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. As the Mavs look into the former site of the Valley View Mall, team governor Patrick Dumont made it clear to Clark that his priority is to build the new arena within Dallas city limits.
“The most important thing is that the Dallas Mavericks are going to stay in the city of Dallas,” Dumont said. “That is our goal. That is what we want to have happen. But we just need a new home. We need a home for the next 40 years that can really represent our city. Be Texas big. And have the ability to show our fans the top level of experience that we can have at an NBA-only arena.”
As the chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, Dumont has an extensive background operating resorts and casinos, so there has long been an expectation that he wants Texas lawmakers to relax the state’s gambling laws so he build a casino-resort destination alongside the Mavs’ new arena. However, he says that’s not the plan, even if the laws related to gambling change in the coming years.
“I think a lot of people think, ‘Gee, if you build a home for the Mavs, won’t you build a casino next to it?'” Dumont told Clark. “The answer is, ‘No.’ To build what we want to build, there is not enough space. They won’t fit. And they are on a different timeline anyway. … I said many years back, it was my dream to do both next to each other. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the timing or the available real estate in the area we want to be in makes it possible. We are going to have to think about the two separately, which is OK.”
Here are a few more highlights from Dumont’s conversation with Clark:
- Dumont indicated he has complete confidence in Masai Ujiri’s vision for the franchise, telling Clark that the two men hold “shared values” related to morality, hard work, and accountability. Explaining why he gave Ujiri the go-ahead to replace Mavs coach Jason Kidd, who was extended in 2025 and still had four years left on his contract, Dumont replied, “I support what Masai wants to do. I believe that’s really important. There is no daylight between us.”
- Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban has spoken about regretting who he sold the team to, and took legal action in July against the Dumont and Adelson families before dropping the suit in August. However, Dumont took the high road in his interview with The Athletic, telling Clark that he considers Cuban a “great family friend” despite that recent history. “He is the most passionate Mavs fan I’ve ever met,” Dumont said. “I hope we can do him proud.” Dumont, who has the ability to buy up to 20% of Cuban’s remaining 27% stake in the Mavs before the end of 2027, confirmed that his group plans to take that route and increase its ownership stake.
- Describing himself as a “patient” person, Dumont said he’s looking forward to assessing the Mavericks’ roster during the coming season and implied that he isn’t in any rush to trade veterans like Kyrie Irving in order to build around reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg. “I believe in building things over time,” he said. “That’s how you make them resilient, and that’s how you make them durable. I’m very excited for the future of this team. You have Cooper. You have Kyrie. We have a bunch of young players who are aggressive and motivated. They want to win.”
Mavericks Notes: May, Flagg, Johnson, Risacher, De Larrea
With Kyrie Irving set to return from his ACL star and play alongside reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg for the first time, the Mavericks have two obvious names to pencil into their starting five. However, new head coach Dusty May says he’s still unsure about what the full starting lineup will look like, Grant Afseth writes for the Dallas Sports Journal.
“We haven’t really settled into that now,” May said. “We’re more or less looking at two- and three-man lineup combinations, one- and five-man lineup combinations. So anyone that has any speculation on the first five and the second five, please let me know because I have no idea at this point. We’re going to keep trying.”
Flagg believes that May’s enthusiasm as a first-time NBA head coach is already rubbing off on the team during training camp, Mike Curtis writes for the Dallas Morning News.
“The energy’s been really high-level,” the 19-year-old wing said. “Different is definitely a word I would use to describe it. We’ve had a really unique culture so far with the new staff and everybody. It’s been great to get everybody in the same environment, get everybody on the same page. I’ve been having a lot of fun with the energy and atmosphere like that.”
We have more from the Mavs’ training camp:
- Morez Johnson Jr., this year’s ninth overall pick, has been limited in training camp because of lower leg soreness, Afseth writes. “We’re just managing his workload,” May said. “I think today he was in every other live session, so just workload management at this point.” Johnson isn’t the only Mavs big man dealing with a leg issue, as Santi Aldama is still working his way back from an arthroscopic knee procedure in March and Dereck Lively II remains limited as a result of the right foot surgery he underwent in December.
- Getting traded two years after being selected first overall wasn’t the start of his NBA career that Zaccharie Risacher envisioned, but with the Mavs facing an November 2 deadline to exercise his $17.4MM fourth-year team option, the former Hawk feels confident that his new team believes in him. “[Team president Masai Ujiri], [general manager Mike Schmitz], Coach Dusty, when I got them on the phone after I got traded, that’s when I knew they were super excited about getting me,” Risacher said, per Afseth. “And it’s been huge for me to be able to see that I’m a part of an organization where they wanted me to be here, and then to succeed too. That plays a big role and that’s a big motivation for me.” Risacher believes that his ability to make quick decisions, play off the ball, and be a versatile defender will help him fit in well in lineups featuring Flagg and Irving.
- Johnson isn’t the only rookie adjusting to life in the NBA. The Mavs also added point guard Sergio de Larrea after trading for him on draft night, and the Spaniard has gotten to work learning what to expect after years of playing in Europe. “It’s different,” de Larrea said, as relayed by Afseth. “The court is bigger, but also the bodies are bigger. But let’s say maybe there’s more space in the paint compared to Europe. But here, otherwise, there’s empty space in the middle, [but] the centers are going to block your shot.” The 6’6″ guard knows that smaller defenders are going to try to get into his body and crowd his dribble, so he’s been working hard on his ball-handling in different situations to better prepare himself for that challenge.
