Max Christie’s rise exposes hidden truth about Mavericks' Luka Doncic trade

After the trade deadline ended on Thursday afternoon, some Dallas Mavericks fans were left extremely disappointed as the Mavericks made some questionable moves over the deadline. It started with Nico Harrison shockingly sending superstar Luka Doncic in a deal to the Los Angeles Lakers and rounded out with Quentin Grimes being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

To make matters worse, the Mavericks failed to acquire a point guard at the deadline, which, after trading Doncic away, has become their biggest need. They need more shot creation, playmaking, and ball handling, and they didn't acquire a player who fits that description.

Despite a tumultuous week for Mavericks fans, there is a lot of hope for Dallas' upcoming future after the Mavericks dominated the Boston Celtics on their home floor 127-120 on Thursday night. Not only did Dallas beat the defending champs, but the win came without Anthony Davis who will likely make his Mavericks debut on Saturday against the Houston Rockets.

While Davis has yet to play a game in a Mavericks uniform, Max Christie who was also included in the Doncic trade has had fans excited to see more ever since touching the hardwood for Dallas.

Max Christie is exceeding all expectations in Dallas

The Doncic-Davis trade looked like a disaster off the bat, and while the Mavericks may have still lost the trade, it's clear that Dallas found a long-term piece with Christie. Most Mavericks fans completely overlooked Christie in this trade, but he is forcing fans to pay attention as he is becoming one of the team's best role players.

Since being drafted by the Lakers in 2022, Christie had largely been a role player who didn't play much but he always had plenty of potential. However, it all clicked in year three for Christie after he was handed the starting two-guard role in LA.

Christie instantly became one of LA's most productive players and in 25 starts, Christie averaged 10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in the purple and gold. After being traded to Dallas in exchange for Doncic, Christie hasn't missed a beat despite playing in a new system for a brand new team.

In his first game as a Mav, Christie surprised fans with his ability to score the ball at an efficient rate and get himself open from off-ball cuts and screens. Against the 76ers, Christie dropped 15 points off the bench while shooting a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc.

In addition to Christie's impressive 15-point debut, he snagged nine boards and displayed just how versatile he can be despite only being a guard. Christie also impressed fans with his stout defense and ability to guard multiple positions due to his lengthy wingspan.

Against the Celtics, Mavs fans witnessed Christie have yet another masterclass off the bench and it didn't require the third-year guard going perfect from the 3-point line. Christie shined in his off-ball actions and got open on multiple occasions from his ability to never stand still and have timely cuts when the defense collapses.

Christie also showcased his hops with an impressive dunk over Celtics center Luke Kornet.

In two games as a Maverick, Christie is averaging 15 points per game while shooting 57.1 percent from behind the arc and 7.5 rebounds per game. Christie's off-ball movement has seemingly opened a whole new playbook for Jason Kidd to discover, and he is doing all the little things.

It's uncertain what Christie's role will be once the Mavericks are fully healthy, but it's safe to assume he will be an immediate rotational player, which may save Harrison's awful decision to trade Doncic away in the first place.

Christie may not be in the Mavs' starting rotation just yet, but he has quickly made fans question just how high the team's ceiling can be once fully healthy. Harrison may always be known as the GM who traded Doncic, but Christie and Davis could help fans move past that if Dallas can reach the NBA Finals again this season.