Mavericks' only silver lining from hated Luka Doncic trade finally reemerges

The Dallas Mavericks got their first taste of what life is like with Luka Doncic inside American Airlines Center wearing purple and gold on Wednesday night.

Besides Mavs fans showing their displeasure for GM Nico Harrison while watching their former superstar drop 45 points, the Mavericks fought hard for most of the contest, but a couple of spurts from the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half proved to be too much for Dallas to handle.

In the infamous blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers, it was clear from his emotions that he never truly wanted to leave Dallas. The business decision of Harrison was too much for some fans to handle for now, and for generations to come. As we continue to return to the phrase "time will tell," it seems the Mavericks have actually done something right to begin with, despite the negative but understandable response to the Doncic trade.

Christie's rise is one of the only bright spots from the Doncic trade

When Max Christie was first traded to Dallas, it didn't take long for him to get adjusted as an already rising two-way guard.

Christie set off an immediate spark with Dallas, putting up 15 or more points in his first seven games as a Maverick. This was a mark of confidence that Mavs fans felt about Christie's future moving forward. He also helped soften the blow of the Doncic trade, as he was also involved in it. Christie was getting his number called in plenty of late-game situations in his first few games with Dallas.

In addition to the Mavericks becoming one of the more unpopular teams of the trade deadline this season, the Mavericks also traded away Quentin Grimes to the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that's been critiqued before and after Grimes took the court for Philly this season.

Christie isn't going to be the same guy as Grimes putting up 45 points in a game, solely because of how Dallas is built for more shooters than what Philadelphia has now. Christie just has to be a solid 3-and-D player to contribute to Dallas winning ball games.

Christie was a big contributor against the Lakers last night, as he finished with 11 points off the bench. He was solid on both ends of the floor for Dallas, and he continues to flash that he can be an elite role player off the bench when he takes advantage of open looks and plays with energy.

When he was drafted in 2022, it looked like he was one of the last options on the floor for the Lakers. This season, he quickly blossomed as a reliable option under his former head coach, JJ Redick, followed by allowing himself to become an attractive piece to trade with. Of course, he's not going to be Doncic; it's going to be up to Anthony Davis to fill that role, but as long as Christie continues to knock down shots and play sound defense, he's going to be helping out the Mavs pretty much every night.