Mavericks' Max Christie Reflects on Shocking Luka Doncic Trade

Christie shares details on how he found out about the blockbuster move that sent Doncic to the Lakers

Apr. 3, 2026 at 7:57pm

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A fragmented, abstract painting in the cubist style depicts a basketball game or match broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color, conveying the disruptive impact of the Luka Doncic trade.A fractured, geometric illustration captures the shock waves of the Luka Doncic trade through a cubist lens.Los Angeles Today

Dallas Mavericks player Max Christie opened up about the night he learned he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Mavericks as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers. Christie described the shock of getting the call from Lakers executives while on the team bus, saying he didn't sleep at all that night. Meanwhile, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd denied claims by team owner Mark Cuban that Kidd knew about the Doncic trade in advance, calling it a blindsiding move.

Why it matters

The Doncic trade was one of the most surprising and impactful moves in recent NBA history, shaking up the league's power dynamics. Christie's firsthand account provides a unique player's perspective on how such a major trade impacts those involved, while Kidd's denial of foreknowledge raises questions about the team's decision-making process.

The details

According to Christie, the trade went down after the Mavericks had just beaten the Knicks in New York. Christie said he had been starting regularly for the Lakers at that point. Christie received calls from Lakers executives Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick around the trade deadline, informing him of the deal that would send him to Dallas. Christie said he was 'numb' and didn't sleep at all that night, as the scale of the trade was so massive.

  • On the night of the trade deadline in 2026, after the Mavericks had just beaten the Knicks in New York.
  • Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd denied Mark Cuban's claims that he knew about the Luka Doncic trade in advance, calling it a 'blindsiding' move.

The players

Max Christie

A player for the Dallas Mavericks who was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

Luka Doncic

The star player for the Dallas Mavericks who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a shocking move.

Rob Pelinka

The general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers who called Max Christie to inform him of the trade.

JJ Redick

A Lakers executive who also called Max Christie to inform him of the trade.

Jason Kidd

The head coach of the Dallas Mavericks who denied having prior knowledge of the Luka Doncic trade.

Mark Cuban

The owner of the Dallas Mavericks who claimed that Jason Kidd knew about the team's plans to trade Luka Doncic.

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What they’re saying

“We just beat the Knicks in New York by 10 or 15. We were feeling good. We were kind of rolling at that point. I had started maybe 15 to 20 games in a row at that point for us. We were on the way back to the hotel. We were staying the night on the team bus, and Rob Pelinka and JJ both kind of called me at the same time. And this was around the deadline.”

— Max Christie, Dallas Mavericks Player

“Blindsided. I guess that's a good way to put it. When I found out about it, I just looked at it as this is just Cuban. And he has a right to his opinion, but I'm here to tell you the truth. I'm not here to hide or run. I'm here to tell you what happened, and that's what happened.”

— Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks Head Coach

What’s next

The Mavericks will host the Magic on Friday, their first game since the shocking Luka Doncic trade.

The takeaway

The Luka Doncic trade was one of the most impactful moves in recent NBA history, and Christie's firsthand account provides a rare player's perspective on the emotional toll and uncertainty that comes with being part of such a blockbuster deal. Meanwhile, the disagreement between Mavericks leadership over the team's advance knowledge of the trade raises questions about the team's decision-making process.