Injuries became the headline for Anthony Davis during his time with the Dallas Mavericks and eventually made him the laughingstock of the NBA.
He was rightfully traded to the Washington Wizards, where he will not set foot on the court this season following his injury woes with the Mavericks. Little did co-general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi know they could've put Max Christie, the other player Dallas acquired with Davis in the Luka Doncic trade, on the trade block as well, and it could've led to some amazing draft capital or key players.
Some fans might've scratched their heads at Christie's name being on the trade block. In fact, he was turning into the co-star next to Cooper Flagg despite no one expecting it. But no one predicted that his production would drop off this much in March compared to the previous months.
This season as a whole, though, has been a success for the young sharpshooter. He was playing the best basketball of his career in his last two months with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he's only elevated that since arriving in Dallas, averaging 12.2 points per game and shooting over 40 percent from deep. He's also started the most games in any season this year by far, with 62. It may not have been a popular opinion then to trade him, but fans can only think of what could've been now.
Mavericks could've hit the jackpot with a Christie trade at the deadline
The phrase "get them while they're hot" applies perfectly in this scenario.
Christie wasn't playing badly at all before the trade deadline. In fact, he averaged 13.4 points a game in February, and he could've been a perfect piece to use for the Mavs to net high value in a trade. The value isn't the same now, as Christie averaged only 8.9 points per game in March, and they missed their chance to sell high.
This isn't necessarily a loss for the Mavs, but it's just one of those scenarios where fans think of what could've been if Christie had been traded. His value might be going down, but it may be happening at the right time anyway, before the Mavs get a top 10 pick in one of the most loaded freshman classes ever.
Mavericks already have a backup plan if Christie's struggles continue
The Mavs need Christie to shoot the ball effectively. The three-ball hasn't been all good for the Mavs all season long, and they currently shoot 34.2 percent from deep, which is near the bottom of the league. But if Christie still doesn't have an answer, there will be soon.
The Mavs have a ton of talent to choose from that will go around 5-10 in the draft. Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Keaton Wagler are already names in the running for the next star guard of the Mavs. They don't have to be a day one star either. It's only a matter of who stays consistent.
It would have to take a miracle, but if they land in the top two, or better yet, No. 1 again, they can take someone like Duke's Cam Boozer or BYU's AJ Dybantsa.
Either way, help is coming soon. The Mavs might've come up short this year, but they could've got more while Christie's value was hot.
