Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Winter]

Aldama is being used quite a bit as a perimeter player - an entirely different player than, say, Lively, Gafford, or even PJ Washington. Since his second year in the league, he's shot between 34-36% every year from 3-point land. In the last four years, PJ Washington has had only one year above 35% and the rest at 33% or below, with Aldama shooting more volume.

If Lively is healthy, I expect him to start. Typically, Aldama is getting 22-25 mpg., so he has been a rotation player, not a starter. But he is a rotation player far different than all our other big men and one that certainly changes the spacing.

I think it's safe to say that the composition of the players has changed - even if it's just in the rotation. There's a point-of-attack defender (Sasser) a perimeter specialist big man (Aldama) and an added rim protector and defensive specialist (Rez). You have Poulikidas coming into his second year as a 3-point threat and a growing Christie with Kyrie. Outside of Kyrie, most of the players are under 25. You have a good two-way player in Naji, and then there's Cooper Flagg as a whole package kind of all-star player.

I think the Mavs will likely trade two more pieces in Klay and Wash\Gafford.... so it continues to change.