When the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, many need to remember that they didn’t just acquire Anthony Davis in return but also Max Christie, who was coming into his own with the Lakers.
Christie’s improvement could make the Mavericks look smarter for acquiring him. With all the injuries the Mavericks are dealing with, Christie could make a name for himself while the team is undermanned. Bleacher Report predicted that Christie will average 20 points a game in March.
“Luka Dončić’s deadline departure robbed Dallas of its primary offensive engine, and Anthony Davis joined virtually every other Mavs big man on the injury list shortly after he arrived. That’ll leave a massive secondary scoring void in need of filling, and Christie looks primed to step up.
“The 22-year-old averaged 14.7 points on a 61.1 true shooting percentage across his first nine games with the Mavericks, only three of which he started. Considering his usage rate in those contests was only 17.9 percent, he has ample room to expand his imprint on the offense,” they wrote.
Since joining the Mavericks, Christie has averaged 14 points, shot 46.7%, and made 45.7% of his three-point attempts, his best numbers since joining the NBA in 2022. Christie has proven that he can thrive in a bigger role, and Dallas might give him an even bigger one because several important players are absent due to injuries.
Although the Mavericks may not be able to justify trading Doncic, Christie’s improvement could be key to their winning a title. He’ll have to prove it first, but Christie gives them hope.
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