The Mavericks can’t afford to let their shooting problems creep back in, and that makes Max Christie a strong candidate to open the season in the starting lineup at shooting guard.
Dallas finished 26th in the league in 3-point percentage last season, and Kyrie Irving’s return should help. But even with Irving back, the Mavericks still don’t have a starting five loaded with dependable perimeter threats.
That’s why Christie stands out. Last season, he was Dallas’ best outside shooter percentage-wise, and his case to start is hard to ignore.
There has been some fan debate about whether Christie or new addition Zaccharie Risacher should get the nod. On paper, that’s a real discussion. In practice, starting Risacher would leave Dallas with a lineup that could struggle to stretch the floor consistently.
The numbers tilt toward Christie. He hit 40.4 percent of his 3s on nearly six attempts per game last season, while Risacher shot 36.8 percent on roughly four tries a night.
That gap may not look huge at first glance, but it matters. Christie was the more efficient shooter, and he did it on higher volume.
Klay Thompson’s departure to the Miami Heat only sharpens the issue. Without him, the Mavericks are going to have nights when the only real shooting in the starting group comes from Christie and Irving. That’s not much margin for error.
P.J. Washington shot just 32.5 percent from deep last season, and Cooper Flagg finished under 30 percent from downtown.
Plenty can change before opening night, but the expectation around the team is that Washington will start alongside Flagg. From a shooting standpoint, that’s not exactly an ideal setup.
There is optimism that Washington can bounce back as an outside shooter with more space and better playmaking around him, and plenty of people believe Flagg will take a step forward from 3-point range. But neither is guaranteed. Dallas is also expected to start Daniel Gafford at center, and Gafford has never been known as a floor-spacer.
The Mavericks added shooting this summer, but it may not look nearly as good once the games begin. Jett Howard, Tarik Biberovic, and Marcus Sasser are still relative unknowns in terms of how big their roles will be or how many minutes they’ll actually get. Outside of Santi Aldama, those are basically the main shooting additions Dallas brought in.
That’s why Christie matters so much. No matter how much the Mavericks value size and defensive versatility, they can’t really afford to have him coming off the bench.
The gravity he creates as a shooter is too important to the best version of their lineup. Christie has improved and grown more confident every season since entering the league, and Dallas is going to need his biggest shooting year yet.
There’s no reason to think he can’t handle it.
In Other News...
Naji Marshall Faces Real Pressure In A Mavericks Bench Dilemma
The Mavericks have long leaned on bench scoring to keep their second units afloat, but this years reserve group looks different. Dallas is asking Naji Marshall to help drive the offense off the bench, bringing both scoring and some playmaking to a group that does not have many natural initiators around him.
That puts a real burden on Marshall to provide the kind of spark the Mavericks have often found from a high-usage reserve, even though his profile has usually been more measured than that. He is now being counted on to create pressure, steady possessions and keep the bench from going stale, which makes his role one of the quieter but more important questions hanging over Dallas early on. [Read more 🡒]
Mavs Camp Depth Chart Puts Veteran Roles Suddenly In Question
A published depth chart ahead of Mavericks camp is already stirring up questions about how this roster is going to look under new management. The projected starting group features Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving and Max Christie, with Santi Aldama slotted in at center and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. at power forward, a setup that suggests this front office is willing to rethink roles quickly as it sorts through a crowded group of players competing for limited spots.
For a team now being evaluated by Masai Ujiri, Mike Schmitz and Dusty May, the depth chart reads less like a finished plan and more like an early test of where the veterans fit. When a rookie and a new addition are penciled into prominent spots this soon, the bigger question becomes how aggressively Dallas might move pieces to reshape the rotation before opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Why Jon Scheyer Couldn't Leave Duke For The Mavericks
Jon Scheyer has made it clear why he stayed put when the Mavericks came calling for their coaching vacancy. In publicly explaining the choice, Scheyer pointed to unfinished business at Duke and the deep personal ties he has built to the program and to Durham, a connection that made the decision bigger than a simple career move.
Scheyer also acknowledged what the NBA represents, calling it the highest level of the sport, but his focus remains on Duke for now. For Dallas, the search eventually moved on to another target, while Scheyer's comments left little doubt that his commitment to the Blue Devils still outweighs the pull of a professional opportunity. [Read more 🡒]