Max Christie’s Rise Is Pushing Klay Thompson Out in Dallas
Let me break down what’s going on right now with Max Christie and Klay Thompson, because the situation in Dallas has taken a pretty dramatic turn — and it’s becoming one of the more fascinating storylines of the season.
So, Klay Thompson came into this year already fighting an uphill battle. He’s a future Hall of Famer, a four-time champion, and someone who earned enormous respect for grinding his way back from two devastating injuries. But those same injuries have clearly taken a toll, and that slow decline that started back in Golden State is now speeding up in Dallas.
It actually began before he ever got to Texas. With the Warriors, Klay was replaced in the starting lineup by a young guard, Brandin Podziemski — not because Podziemski was a better shooter, but because he simply did more on the floor. He connected plays, defended, and covered ground in ways Klay no longer could. That shift pushed Klay to the bench for the first time in his career and signaled that Golden State was preparing for life after him. When the sign-and-trade sent him to the Mavericks, it felt like a fresh start.
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And for a little while, it was. Playing alongside Luka Dončić, Klay had the perfect setup: open looks, simple reads, and a role that didn’t demand too much off the dribble. But everything changed when Dallas moved on from Luka and reshaped the roster. Without a star playmaker feeding him ideal shots, his weaknesses became harder to hide. Add to that the arrival of Max Christie — younger, longer, faster, and with a motor that doesn’t quit — and suddenly the job Klay once had a claim to started slipping away.
Klay’s numbers speak loudly. Shooting barely over 35 percent from the field and around 32 percent from deep, he just hasn’t been able to provide the reliable offense he was known for. He’s not creating, he’s not getting to the line, and defensively… well, opponents are targeting him more than ever. It’s been rough.
Meanwhile, Max Christie is doing everything Dallas needs from that position — and more. He’s hitting nearly 48 percent of his threes on real volume, defending at a high level, and bringing energy that the team desperately needs. When you’re third in the league in three-point accuracy among high-volume shooters, coaches start building game plans around you. Jason Kidd didn’t really have a choice: Christie had to be promoted, and Klay had to come off the bench.
And honestly, this feels like déjà vu. Losing his starting spot marked the end for Klay in Golden State, and the same pattern seems to be repeating itself in Dallas. Unless something dramatic changes, it’s hard to imagine him reclaiming that role. The Mavericks are getting younger, faster, and more future-focused, and Max Christie fits the direction perfectly.
For Klay Thompson — one of the greatest shooters we’ve ever seen — this moment is tough. But for Max Christie, it’s a breakout that might permanently shift the trajectory of his career.
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