The Dallas Mavericks lost Klay Thompson to the Miami Heat this week, but the shift in their starting lineup had already taken place well before the veteran sharpshooter’s departure. A 23-year-old player had gradually worked his way into the picture, challenging Thompson for minutes and eventually taking over his spot.

Now, DDLS Sports reporter Ron Harrod Jr. has explained why he believes Max Christie didn’t simply benefit from Thompson’s departure. Instead, he earned the opportunity.

“I think Max Christie snatched Klay Thompson’s chain last season to take the starting spot,” Harrod said, speaking on the DDLS Mavs Podcast. “I think it was well deserved.”

For Harrod, the decision hinged on what each player could offer beyond shooting. While Thompson remains an elite movement shooter and one of the most accomplished perimeter threats in NBA history, Harrod argued that Christie has evolved into a more versatile option.

Get the Essentially Dunk Newsletter. League-wide coverage every day on the All-Stars, MVPs, iconic legends, and the drama defining the NBA.

“I think Max Christie probably does it either just as good as him or maybe even a little better,” Harrod said, speaking of movement shooting. He then shifted his focus offense creation. 

That distinction became central to his argument. 

Thompson appeared in 69 games but started only eight, averaging a career-low 21.7 minutes. Christie, by contrast, started the large majority of his 77 appearances and logged nearly 29 minutes per night.

Harrod noted that Christie’s creation frequency sat around 20% last season, compared with roughly 10% for Klay Thompson. Neither number necessarily places either player among the league’s elite creators. But Christie offered Dallas something different when the ball came his way. 

He could put it on the floor.

That matters when defenses aggressively chase shooters off the three-point line. Thompson can still punish opponents with his movement, shooting and off-ball relocation. But Harrod argued that his previous injuries have limited other parts of his offensive game. 

“They need not only a player that can space the floor like Max Christie, but a player that can attack closeouts, which sadly, because of Klay’s injuries, he cannot do that anymore.”

For a Mavericks team built around star creators, that versatility carries value. 

Still, the comparison comes with an important catch. Replacing Klay Thompson’s overall value is not the same as replacing his starting spot.

As a four-time NBA champion, he remains one of the greatest shooters in history, and his reputation alone dictates how defenses approach him. Opponents understand the peril of losing track of him around screens or granting him even a split second to shoot. This gravitational pull creates space for his teammates without him ever needing to touch the ball.

Christie, despite the development, has yet to establish that same level of fear.

But Dallas didn’t necessarily need another high-volume shooter who could only punish defenses from the perimeter. Harrod’s argument centers on fit.

With primary creators already handling much of the offense, the Mavericks could benefit from a young player capable of shooting while also attacking a scrambling defense.

That makes Christie’s promotion less about declaring him a better ‌player than Klay Thompson.

It is about what Dallas needed. 

Thompson’s Miami Heat deal has now closed the chapter on his Mavs tenure. Meanwhile, Christie enters the next phase with an opportunity to expand his wings.

Harrod believes the changing of the guard happened before the transaction became official.

In his view, the 23-year-old didn’t wait for Thompson to leave. He took the chain first.