Max Christie’s role with the Mavericks may be shifting, and the early signs point to a setup that could actually unlock more of what he does best.
Christie started 68 games for Dallas last season and had already settled in as the team’s starting shooting guard over Klay Thompson early in his first full season with the club. But that arrangement may not hold for long in the early days of the Dusty May era.
Dallas traded for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher, earlier this summer, and the team has made its intentions clear: the young guys are going to play. Risacher has a real shot to crack the starting five during the regular season, and he helped his case with a 16-point showing last weekend.
May has already leaned in that direction in the preseason. Risacher started both of the team’s first two preseason games, and Christie, who started the opener, moved to the bench once Kyrie Irving returned for the second game.
That early pattern suggests Christie could begin the regular season as a reserve, and in this case, that might not be a downgrade so much as a different lane. It wouldn’t make much sense to start both Christie and Risacher next to Irving, Cooper Flagg, and a center, but coming off the bench could give Christie a chance to do more than stand around as a perimeter option.
He was already productive last season, averaging a career-high 12.3 points per game while shooting 40.4 percent from deep. That was a noticeable jump from the 36.4 percent he posted during the 2024-25 season, and he seemed to settle in as the year went on.
Christie has long been labeled as a 3-point shooter, but his game is clearly stretching beyond that. He can attack closeouts, he moves well without the ball, and this season he’s also putting more focus on becoming a better defender.
A bench role could amplify all of that. Instead of being the release valve on the wing in a starting group built around bigger names, Christie could become more of a featured scorer with the second unit, especially with one of Flagg or Irving likely sitting. That would put him in more spots to work on the rest of his offensive package, not just his shot.
It could also mean more confidence, more responsibility, and a chance for May to use him as an instant spark when the team needs shooting or energy. In that kind of role, Christie could be asked to take on the opponent’s hottest player as soon as he checks in, while his shooting and activity help stabilize the bench group.
For Dallas, starting Risacher would keep the focus on developing a former first overall pick. For Christie, the bench could offer a different kind of growth - one that gives him room to expand offensively while continuing to take a step as a perimeter defender.
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