The Los Angeles Lakers made a transaction that included Max Christie to acquire Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.

Max Christie (Image Credit: Imagn Images)
Christie has been perhaps the most reliable player from this deal thus far despite being viewed as an afterthought addition behind Anthony Davis and a first-round selection.

Christie reflects on the moment he received the call from Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick regarding his trade to the Mavericks. He was having a breakout season with the Lakers before being transferred.

Christie revealed, “I had my suspicions when I got that call. The emotions at that moment obviously were pretty overwhelming. And then going back to the hotel room, I got zero seconds of sleep that night. I was up from 12 [a.m.] to 8:15 [a.m.] I had a flight the next morning at 8:30 to go to Dallas. So, I was in denial a little bit, at first. I can’t believe this is happening…”

He added, “If you look at the magnitude of that trade, it magnifies that emotion. So, I was shocked, man. I was on the floor in the hotel room for two hours just thinking about what was going on. I eventually came to my senses, obviously, and had to put one foot in front of the other and think about what I needed to do next. So far, I’ve had a good job just kind of settling in and just trying to stay present. That’s the biggest thing for me is just being present here, trying to help this team win games.”

Christie discussed this before the Mavericks’ first game back in Los Angeles. Christie played 37 minutes and contributed 10 points (4-13 FG) and six assists as his team lost 99-107.

Max Christie Opens Up About Playing For The Dallas Mavericks After The Trade

Max Christie also talked about playing for the Mavericks, expressing excitement for the team’s competitive future once all of their injured big guys are back on the court.

Christie stated, “All our bigs, Gaff, Lively, Powell, A.D., our defense is going to be unbelievable. Teams aren’t going to be able to get shots up at the rim because we have so much length in the paint. And then, A.D., obviously offensively, we know what he’s capable of. Gafford and Lively are elite lob threats. Dwight Powell brings a punch with his physicality as well.”

He added, “We’re going to be really good when we’re healthy. And the fact that we’re able to stay afloat right now so far with the small ball we’re playing is really good for us. When those guys come back, the amount of juice and punch they bring on both sides of the ball is going to be good for us.”

Given the team’s lack of guards outside Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie, he has been thrust into a very significant position in the backcourt. Head coach Jason Kidd has rapidly come to rely on him for significant contributions due to his aggressive 3-and-D play style.

After being locked into a POA defender role for the Lakers this season, Christie may be able to improve in this role in Dallas. He still has a lot of space to develop because he is just 22 years old.