Mavericks May Have Missed Window to Maximize Return on Piece of Luka Doncic Trade

The Dallas Mavericks are in a situation where they need to be planning for the future while building the perfect team around star rookie Cooper Flagg. They've already done the hard part by lucking into Flagg, but they still need to find the perfect pieces around him.

One piece that they think can be is Max Christie, the former second-round pick out of Michigan State. He came over in the infamous Luka Doncic trade and is now the last remaining remnant after they traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in February. They still have LA's 2029 first-round pick, but that's still years away from cashing in.

On paper, Christie is a good fit alongside Cooper Flagg. He has shot 38.5% from three throughout his career and is up to 40.5% this year, and he's not a terrible defender. You wouldn't want him guarding the elite players in the game, but he wouldn't get tormented if he did.

However, his last month or so has been rough. Since February 24th, which is a stretch of 20 games, he's averaging 9.3 PPG while shooting 34.5% from three. That's not going to be good enough for what the Mavs want to build around Flagg. At the time of the trade deadline, he was shooting 42.9% from three, and might've been able to fetch another first-round pick in a trade, especially as he's making just $7.7 million this season.

If the Mavericks plan to keep him, they have to be smart with his next contract, as he has a player option for the 2027-28 season, but he also likely can't be a starter. His ceiling may not be high enough for that.

While they desperately need to add more three-point shooting around Flagg, Kyrie Irving's return to the lineup next season should help with that. It should also take away some ball-handling responsibilities for Christie, as he's clearly not comfortable with it.

Mar 18, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) before the game against the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Should the Dallas Mavericks Trade Max Christie This Offseason?

The Mavericks are going to have a lot of tough decisions to make on the roster as they plan around Cooper Flagg. Between Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, Max Christie, P.J. Washington, and more, there are players that other teams would value and may be willing to part with decent assets to acquire.

The front office, however it's structured, should plan around Flagg. It wouldn't be surprising if they don't view Christie's ceiling as high enough to keep long-term, even if his best skill is something the team needs.

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