Since the beginning of the offseason, the Dallas Mavericks have been at the top of headlines for the number of moves and additions they have made. From drafting Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick to signing D'Angelo Russell in the hopes that he will be the team's stopgap point guard while Kyrie Irving remains sidelined, the Mavericks have without a doubt had a busy summer.
Although the Mavericks may not be done making moves this offseason, one thing is for certain: the Mavs will once again rely heavily on the amount of tertiary scoring and ball-handling they can get from players off the bench. With Irving likely sidelined until after the All-Star break, Dallas will be relying heavily on players like Max Christie to see who can emerge out of the pack and possibly be named as one of the team's most important players.
While it goes without saying, the Mavericks will need great production from their bench, and a lot will weigh on the shoulders of Christie to see what player he can become. Last season, after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers, Christie flashed the ability to score from all three levels, but this season may be the perfect time for a breakout year in Dallas.
Max Christie will emerge as Mavericks' X-factor next season
Since being traded away by the Lakers, Christie has been viewed highly by Mavericks fans and the front office. Christie not only fits Dallas' timeline assuming Flagg can take the ropes as the franchise player, but he has the potential to be a difference maker as soon as this season at the age of 22.
Christie was one of the Mavericks' most surprising breakout players last season after being included in the trade package that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, but still has yet to prove he can be a consistent three-level scorer. Now with half a season as a Maverick under his belt, Christie may have the perfect opportunity to be one of the brightest guards on the roster.
In just his first few games with the Mavericks, it was already clear that Christie was motivated to prove he wasn't just a sweetener in the Doncic deal, but quickly faded out of Dallas' main rotation as soon as injuries started to pile on some of the team's key players. Christie will not only be asked to be one of the Mavericks' few primary point of attack defenders, but a lot of his playing time will hinge on how his offense carries over.
While Christie's role with the Mavericks is uncertain this offseason, as the team is currently loaded, Christie can easily play his way into the rotation if he proves to be a consistent offensive weapon. In Dallas, Christie averaged a career-high 11.2 points in 32 games, while shooting 36.4 percent from behind the 3-point line.
While most of Christie's playing time will hinge on his offensive abilities, he has already flashed the potential to be a great perimeter defender, which is something Dallas lacks. Christie can not only be called upon to guard some of the opposing team's best players, but could potentially develop into a two-way monster alongside Flagg.
Entering his fourth season, Christie now has the tools and experience to explode onto the scene and become one of the Mavericks' defining figures of the next era. Considering Dallas' need for a ball-handling guard off the bench, Christie's role with the Mavericks could be defined as soon as this year, and he could quickly go from a throw-in from the Doncic trade to a fan-favorite player.
If Christie can once again prove he can be a reliable three-level scorer for more than just a few games, he could quickly become one of the players fans think of when they discuss the future of Mavericks basketball as the team makes the transition from the Doncic era to the Flagg era.