In his first few seasons in the NBA, former Michigan State star Max Christie struggled to carve out a consistent role for the Los Angeles Lakers. The No. 35 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, expectations were high for Christie following a decorated high school career (in which he earned McDonald’s All-American honors) and was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman team during his lone season in East Lansing.
With the Lakers in win-now mode and stacked with backcourt depth, Christie found himself bouncing around between limited minutes and stints with the South Bay Lakers, the team’s G-League affiliate.
However, that all changed on the night of Feb. 1.
In one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, the Lakers acquired five-time All-Star Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster deal that sent shockwaves through the league.
While Dončić was headed to the City of Angels, Christie was a part of the haul being shipped to Dallas in return for the 26-year-old superstar.
The move to Dallas has proven to be a turning point in the 22-year-old’s career, immediately yielding results.
In his Mavericks debut, Christie recorded 15 points of 4-for-4 from deep. Since then, the 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard continued to impress in his expanded role.
Across 32 games in Dallas, Christie averaged 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 37 percent from deep.
The Arlington Heights, Ill., native’s potential was finally unlocked in Jason Kidd’s more fluid offensive system, where improved spacing and ball movement gave him the freedom to play to his strengths. No longer buried behind stars like LeBron James, Christie has played with renewed confidence, especially as a shooter.
He's also grown more assertive attacking closeouts, finding open teammates, and using his length to disrupt passing lanes on defense.
For Dallas, Christie represents a rare find; a young two-way contributor on a team-friendly deal. Only making $8 million per year in a league where cap space is precious makes the presence of a player of his caliber invaluable.
Many MSU fans still remember his flashes of brilliance in green and white, and to them, his emergence is no surprise. The tools were always there, and all he needed was the right opportunity.
With the right system, right fight, and right support, Christie has shined, which is a testament to just how important a change of scenery can prove to be in the NBA.
With Cooper Flagg now headed to Dallas to join forces with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, Christie now has the opportunity to aid a formidable core and continue to solidify himself as a long-term piece of the Mavericks’ future.