Dallas Mavericks forward Santi Aldama will sit out Spain’s upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifying games as he continues working his way back from right knee surgery.
The decision removes Aldama from Spain’s games against Portugal and Greece later this month, but the more encouraging development for Dallas concerns what comes next. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on August 19 that the Mavericks believe Aldama will be ready when the team begins training camp practices around Sept. 23.
“The belief in Dallas, I’m told, is Santi Aldama will be ready for training camp when practices start (Sept. 23-ish),” Stein wrote on X. “Aldama had mid-March knee surgery.”
That makes Aldama’s absence from international competition more of a precaution ahead of his first Mavericks season than an indication of a new setback.
Spain Won’t Rush Santi Aldama Back Before Mavericks Camp
Aldama apparently made a serious push to play for Spain before the decision was made to prioritize his recovery.
The Spanish Basketball Federation announced that Aldama would not participate in the first window of the second phase of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup. Spain is scheduled to face Portugal in Zaragoza on August 28 and Greece in Athens on August 31.
According to AS, Aldama had pushed his rehabilitation in an effort to make himself available, but the federation and national-team coach Chus Mateo decided against accelerating his return from an injury that required surgery. The stated priority was getting Aldama ready for the upcoming NBA season with Dallas.
That distinction matters.
Aldama isn’t simply choosing to skip summer basketball with Mavericks camp approaching. He wanted to play for Spain, but both sides ultimately determined that protecting his recovery was more important than getting him on the floor several weeks early.
For Dallas, that creates a cleaner path toward having one of its notable offseason additions available when practices begin.
Aldama Is Coming Off Knee Procedure, Career-Best Season
Aldama’s knee issue dates back to his final season with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Memphis announced in March that Aldama underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee and received an orthobiologic injection to address persistent discomfort. The Grizzlies said at the time that he was expected to be ready for the following season.
The procedure ended what had been Aldama’s most productive NBA season.
The 7-footer averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists during the 2025-26 campaign.
Dallas then acquired Aldama from Memphis in July, sending AJ Johnson and future draft compensation to the Grizzlies.
That makes his health particularly relevant for a Mavericks team that hasn’t yet seen him play a game in its uniform.
Aldama gives Dallas a 7-foot frontcourt option capable of stretching beyond the paint, and he arrives at age 25 after his best individual NBA season. The Mavericks have several ways they can deploy him alongside their other frontcourt pieces, making training camp an important first opportunity for the coaching staff to determine how he fits.
Missing Spain’s games means Aldama will have additional time to get his knee ready before that process begins.
And while an international absence after surgery naturally raises questions, Stein’s report provides the piece of information Mavericks fans will care about most: Dallas currently expects Aldama to be on the floor when training camp practices get underway.
For a player whose previous season ended in March because of his knee, that’s considerably more important to the Mavericks than two games in August.
Mavericks’ Santi Aldama Makes Major Basketball Decision After Knee Surgery