Is Max Christie a Mavericks Mainstay?

Max Christie is a curious case heading towards the offseason. One of the forgotten men of the Luka Doncic–Anthony Davis trade fiasco of 2025, Christie has found himself a nice little role with the Dallas Mavericks. Shooting guard is a position relatively unopposed in the Big D. Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson are easy enough to slot in at the 2, but often split their duties playing on the wing. Christie is the only pure SG that the Mavs have.

As the team looks to shift to instant playoff contention next year, the question arises. Is Christie good enough to keep as a starting two guard?

Is Max Christie a Mavericks Mainstay?

A second-round pick by the Lakers in 2022, Christie started to play meaningful minutes last season, both pre- and post-trade. His defensive prowess and offensive efficiency shone through as the Mavericks were devastated towards the end of the 2025 campaign. Christie’s mettle and consistency have rightfully earned him 62 starts so far this season, compared to 46 combined over the previous 3 years. He’s a natural pairing with Cooper Flagg. Two young spark plugs that play hard, intense defense and convert at a high rate on offense. The pros-and-cons list is fairly one-sided.

His Offensive Output

A career high of 12.2 PPG for Christie appears low at first glance. With the way the Mavericks intend to play with Flagg on the team, this statistic is negligible. There are only so many points to go around. It’s important to have a guy who consistently takes his share, no matter the quantity. Christie’s shooting percentages are exemplary. 50% from 2, 40% from 3 and 89% from the free throw line is consistency comparable to fellow Maverick Kyrie Irving. High shooting percentages are incredibly hard to replace in the NBA, and with high scoring numbers coming from elsewhere, Christie should be considered an offensive asset.

Defensive Prowess

Consistency is the word of the day. It applies again to Christie’s defense. Physical explosion and bully ball aren’t relied upon in his perimeter game. Discipline, IQ and confidence give him an edge. Christie is a master at navigating screens, as well as headhunting top perimeter scorers to allow more prolific teammates to conserve energy on defense.

While he is sometimes outmuscled, he is rarely fooled. Scarcely overcommitting and a reluctance to bite on fakes make Christie’s game a revelation. Steals and blocks aren’t the forte of the former Michigan State star, but being a perimeter pest and not allowing high-profile shooters to get in a rhythm outweighs this massively.

The Last Word

While drafting another talented guard or finding a solid backup in free agency wouldn’t be the worst move for the Mavericks, you gotta keep Max Christie. Natural, god-given defensive intangibles are hard to come by. Pairing Christie and Flagg will solidify the tandem of two of the most defensively gifted players of their generation.

Relentless and dogged defense is key to changing a home arena into a fortress. Christie doesn’t give his man a reprieve or a chance to catch his breath. As the old boxing proverb goes: “The last thing you want to be in a fight is tired.” When it’s Max Christie you’re battling, you don’t have a choice. With that talent and game impact, combined with elite scoring percentages, the Mavericks should offer him a contract that Shohei Ohtani would be jealous of. Keep him around.