Any NBA team with a young player on their roster is eventually going to have to make a decision: What are they worth?
It’s not always an easy call. When you’re dealing with someone under 25, you’re not just talking about production. In part, you’re paying for potential. A young player’s contract doesn’t simply reflect how good they are — it reflects how good they can be. How good can Max Christie get with the Dallas Mavericks?
He’s eligible this summer for a four-year, $92.8 million extension. That’s an Average Annual Value (AAV) of $23.2 million.
Is he worth that money?
How the Dallas Mavericks Should View the $20 Million Wing Market
These decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. To answer the question, you have to look at other players in the same salary range who play a similar style.
Jaden McDaniels makes roughly $24.5 million per season. However, Christie is not quite eligible to reach that level on his next contract. McDaniels is arguably the best wing defender in the NBA, and his contract looks team-friendly right now.
De’Andre Hunter makes about $24.0 million a year. Christie is already outperforming him this season. He’s shooting 42.3% from deep, while Hunter is at 30.5%. Hunter’s deal has been viewed as one of the tougher contracts in that tier.
See how this gets complicated?
Other players in that range include Aaron Gordon, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Kuzma, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. It’s a mixed bag. Some of those deals age well. Others don’t. Some pay for past production. Others bet on future growth.
The Dallas Mavericks have to decide which category Max Christie falls into.
What Max Christie Is Becoming In Dallas
Let’s isolate Christie himself.
In 52 games this season (43 starts), he’s averaging 13.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 29.7 minutes per game. He’s shooting 46.8% from the field, 42.3% from three on 5.7 attempts per contest, and 87.4% from the free-throw line. His effective field goal percentage sits at 59.1%.
The shooting is real.
Christie is canning 39.0% of his threes for his career across 238 games. Since arriving in Dallas, he’s averaging 12.5 points per game while hitting 40.3% from deep in a Mavericks uniform.
It’s safe to regard him as one of the better young wing shooters in the NBA.
He’s also a solid defender. Christie stands 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He can guard 1-through-3. He fits the archetype of a modern two-guard who can slide up to the three when needed.
That matters.
Wings who shoot over 40% from deep and defend multiple positions don’t come cheap.
The Market Reality Facing the Dallas Mavericks
Now for the downside. Christie doesn’t create offense consistently. He doesn’t regularly beat defenders off the dribble. He’s not someone you run offense through late in games. He’s a role player.
So what’s the going rate for an elite shooter who plays solid defense and doesn’t create much for himself? It appears to be around $23 million per season. The Mavericks can try to negotiate. If they can shave a few million off that AAV, they should. But locking him up near that number would reflect what the league already pays for this type of player.
Christie originally signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024. That $8 million average annual value no longer matches his trajectory. He’s 23 years old. His efficiency is climbing. His role is stable.
Letting that walk because he isn’t a star would be a bigger mistake than paying market value for what he is — and what he’s becoming.
Max Christie is worth the money on his next contract.
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