Max Christie is out-performing Luka Doncic since shocking Mavericks-Lakers trade

02/18/2025 06:47 PM

Max Christie is out-performing Luka Doncic since the Dallas Mavericks-Los Angeles Lakers trade that shocked the entire sports world. It doesn’t seem real, but it is true. There is a catch, though.

Christie has been impressive in his six games played with the Mavs up to this point. In fact, he is probably the only player on the Mavs who will not benefit from the All-Star break given his recent hot stretch. The catch that comes with the aforementioned Christie is out-performing Doncic claim is that Luka has only appeared in two games with the Lakers, and he was returning from an injury.

Still, being on the floor is important, but this goes beyond availability. Christie is averaging 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game with his new team. Meanwhile, Doncic is recording per game averages of 15 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per outing across his two contests played with LA.

There is also far more pressure on Doncic. He is a generational talent who had his life completely turned upside down in one night. Luka was preparing to potentially spend his entire career in Dallas. Doncic probably was excited to see his statue next to Dirk Nowitzki someday.

This has been an immense change for every player involved, but Doncic, who admitted to being surprised by the trade, was impacted the most by the deal.

For the purpose of this article, though, let’s focus on Max Christie. Making the statement about Christie playing better than Doncic since the deal came to fruition is by no means meant to be taken as criticism toward the former Mavs superstar. Rather, it is a statement of hope for a Mavericks fanbase that desperately needs, well, hope.

What is Max Christie’s ceiling with Mavericks?

Anthony Davis highlighted the Mavs’ trade return. He was excellent for three quarters in his Mavericks debut before suffering an injury. Davis’ injury return timeline is fairly uncertain at the moment.

Now the Mavs’ fanbase has been in a state of disarray, but imagine if Christie struggled since the deal? Things would be even more chaotic. Christie’s play has been of the utmost importance, providing a light at the end of the tunnel. Can this 22-year-old become a star in Dallas?

Don’t start building Christie’s statue next to Nowitzki yet. He’s still extremely young and is only in his third NBA season. Christie is displaying signs of having a high-ceiling, though.

For starters, Christie has displayed little hesitancy from an offensive standpoint. He had to learn a new system quickly, yet he has responded in a confident manner. Christie is averaging 12 field goal attempts per outing to go along with 5.5 three-point attempts per contest. Kyrie Irving is the Mavs’ primary scoring option, but Christie is stepping up and making an impact alongside the star guard.

Christie has already taken a step forward as a playmaker. His previous career-high in assists per game was 0.9. In Dallas, though, Christie is recording 3.5 assists per outing. Christie has been a reliable ball-handler, turning the ball over just two times per game as well.

Christie’s poise has told the story

The on-court play has been tremendous, but it has been Christie’s poise that has stood out. Being included in arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history is destined to come with no shortage of pressure. As mentioned, Doncic has the most pressure on him of any player involved in the deal, but there is still pressure on Christie.

But when he made his Mavs debut in Philadelphia against the 76ers the Tuesday after the trade, he displayed no fear. When he made his Mavericks home debut at the American Airlines Center a week after the deal, Christie displayed no fear.

At such a young age, nobody would have blamed Christie for being a bit more hesitant or not playing as well as he has. Yet, he clearly wanted to make a statement with his new team.

Max Christie’s future is intriguing. Will he become a star? Who knows, anything is possible. At the very least, Christie should be a quality player at the NBA level.

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