It’s hard not to say the Los Angeles Lakers were the major winners in the shocking trade with the Dallas Mavericks that put NBA superstar Luka Doncic in a purple-and-gold jersey. Still, the team might be missing out on one player in particular they added to the deal who is seeing a ton of success on his new team: Max Christie.
The young guard had been with the Lakers for two and a half years, and while many believed he was just a minor addition to the Anthony Davis-led trade package that netted the team Doncic, the 23-year-old has quietly proved to be one of the better backcourt players for the Mavericks.
With that, if Dallas is looking to trade Kyrie Irving and revamp its roster around Cooper Flagg, Christie could become available, and if he is, the Lakers were recently urged to seriously consider him as a new trade target.
Lakers Could Target Former Guard Used In Luka Doncic Trade
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Tyler Watts believes the Lakers should look again at Christie; although he played well last season for the Mavericks, he hasn’t gotten off to a great start this year.
“The Los Angeles Lakers should be looking to bring Max Christie back as his struggles with the Mavericks mount. He was sent to Dallas in the Luka Doncic trade. The Mavs were eager to get a young 6’5 wing with 3-and-D potential,” he wrote. “Christie shot 40 percent from 3-point range last season, but his production tailed off late in the year. The struggles have gotten worse to start this campaign. It is the perfect time for the purple and gold to try to buy low.”
Christie is averaging 8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and two assists on just 36.7% shooting through six games so far this season, all of which are down since he joined the Mavericks in early 2025.
“The 23-year-old has made just 31.3 percent on his 3-point attempts, and Dallas has been outscored by 30 in his 158 minutes on the floor. The Mavs are building around Cooper Flagg, and Christie may simply not fit,” Watts added.
“Christie is in the final guarantee year of his contract. He has an $8.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season, but he may just try to get out of Dallas. The Lakers should make the call. The Mavericks won’t be eager to make another trade with the purple and gold, but Christie isn’t working. LA offers a shot to get some value in return for a player who could exit in free agency.”
It should be noted that Dallas doing another trade with Los Angeles has been seen as unlikely ever since the fallout of the Doncic deal, but if he’s available and the Lakers truly want him back, it can’t be ruled out.
Los Angeles did a strong job developing Christie before he was traded, and with what the team needs right now, another defensive-minded guard who can pick up some playmaking responsibilities, he could be one of the best players potentially on the market, should the Mavericks eye big changes coming up.
Max Christie In Los Angeles Compared To In Dallas
As mentioned, Christie isn’t having a great start to the season, but based on what he’s done throughout his five-year career, there’s no evidence this will turn into a longer-term trend.
He saw a slow start to his career with the Lakers in his first two seasons, but before he was traded in the 2024-25 year, Christie was averaging 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 44% shooting from the field and 36.8% from deep.
He was then packaged with Davis by the Lakers to land Doncic, where many thought he was a minor asset used to give Dallas another young player. However, in the first few games he played with the Mavericks, it was clear he was more than just another name tossed into the trade.
Christie put up 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while keeping his three-point shooting consistent in 31 games. Last season was the best of his career, averaging 12.3 points on 40.4% shooting from outside, along with 3.2 rebounds and two assists in 77 games, including 68 starts.
The numbers are down this season, but as Watts mentioned, if the Lakers can make a trade for him, with the potential fit next to Doncic, what the team needs now, and the previous history of developing the guard, Christie might be a perfect trade target, depending on the price.
“Los Angeles was better defensively with him on the floor in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons,” he wrote. “The Lakers could get Christie back to being a 3-and-D wing that every team covets. The 23-year-old still has room to grow, and the purple and gold have experience with helping him improve.”
“Christie offers the best of both worlds. He is comfortable being a spot-up shooter and will be engaged defensively. He would quickly claim a starting role and let the Lakers shift Thybulle to the bench. LA needs the veteran when the games matter most. That means limiting his minutes now. Getting someone like Christie would let the Lakers do just that… The Los Angeles Lakers should buy low, while they can. Christie gives them another 3-and-D option for Doncic to maximize.”
Again, another Lakers trade with the Mavericks might be tough, but even with an outside chance to bring back Christie, Watts urged general manager Rob Pelinka to at least explore what bringing back the young guard would look like on this revamped Los Angeles roster led by Doncic.
Lakers Urged To Bring Back Key Player Used In Luka Doncic Trade