12 Worst free agent signings in Mavericks history

5. Doug Christie

Christie was one of the best defenders in the league during his time in Sacramento. He made the All-Defensive team four years in a row from 2001 to 2004, and the 6’6 wing helped the Kings reach the conference finals in 2002. Christie was a 3-and-D wing before those were popular in the NBA.

The Mavericks were looking for a defensive spark in 2005 when they added the 35-year-old. They had made the playoffs five straight years, including reaching the conference finals in 2003, and Dallas was searching for the piece that would put them over the top. Christie started on the wing, and the Mavs were hoping his defense, shot-making, and playmaking chops would be the final piece their championship puzzle.

He only signed a one-year contract, but the partnership lasted just seven games. Christie could not stay on the floor as his surgically-repaired left ankle was problematic throughout his brief tenure in Dallas. He averaged 3.7 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game, while shooting 34.6 percent from the field.

The 35-year-old attempted to make a comeback the following season with the LA Clippers, but it only lasted seven games before he retired. The Dallas Mavericks lost in the NBA Finals in 2006 to the Miami Heat, and Christie would have received a ring for his seven games if they had won the championship.