Mavericks Notes: Christie, Thompson, Williams, Martin
Max Christie returned to action on Saturday and helped spark a Mavericks victory, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. The 22-year-old guard had missed Dallas’ previous two games because of an illness that has impacted multiple players, Sefko notes.
Christie finished with 22 points (on 7-of-13) shooting, four assists, two rebounds and two steals and was plus-29 in 26 minutes during Saturday’s 18-point win over Utah.
“He’s one of our best shooters and most athletic guys, so offensively, he helps us there,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “But we missed him on the defensive end, too. To get him back from illness is good.
“He just competes (defensively). He’s one of those guys who can go both ways. He can have an impact on defense, too.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Guard/forward Klay Thompson passed Damian Lillard for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list on Thursday and reached another milestone on Saturday, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Thompson, who scored 23 points (on 7-of-11 shooting) in 20 minutes, eclipsed 17,000 career points during the victory. “It’s been awesome, especially when I shoot the ball well and we win. What a nice combo,” Thompson said of his historic week.
- Backup guard Brandon Williams, who will be a free agent in the offseason, had another productive game, Curtis adds. The 27-year-old finished with 22 points (on 8-of-13 shooting), five assists, four rebounds and two steals and was plus-30 in 28 minutes.
- While his contributions were fairly modest on Saturday (six rebounds, five assists, three points in 21 minutes), veteran wing Caleb Martin was coming off his best two-game stretch as a Maverick, averaging 14.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.5 APG and 3.0 SPG while shooting 83.3% on twos and 60% on threes, Curtis writes in another story. The 30-year-old was slowed by a hip injury for several months, but he says he’s feeling much healthier now compared to the start of the season. “Just thinking less. Feeling better,” said Martin, who has started the past two games in place of Cooper Flagg (sprained ankle). “Just trying to get as much rhythm as I can. … I’m one of the guys who tries to impact as much as I can as quick as I possibly can. It’s not always going to be an offensive mindset first coming into the game so just trying to let the game come to me.”
Mavericks Sign Jeremiah Robinson-Earl To 10-Day Deal
4:34 pm: Robinson-Earl’s 10-day hardship contract is now official, per the Mavericks (Twitter link).
2:47 pm: The Mavericks have signed forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a 10-day contract, reports Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link). While Dallas has yet to formally confirm the agreement, Clark says it’s a done deal and that Robinson-Earl will be active on Thursday vs. Utah.
The Mavericks have a full 15-man standard roster but won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Robinson-Earl. They’ve been granted a hardship exception, Clark explains, allowing them to carry a 16th man for the time being.
A team qualifies for a hardship exception if it has at least four players who have missed three or more consecutive games and are expected to be sidelined for at least two more weeks. Big man Anthony Davis has now been out for three games due to his hand injury, so he meets that criteria, as do Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, and Dante Exum.
In addition to those players dealing with longer-term injuries, the Mavs may be missing a few more regulars on the wing and in the frontcourt on Thursday. Cooper Flagg (left ankle sprain) and Max Christie (illness) are considered doubtful to play, while Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) and P.J. Washington (right ankle injury management) are listed as questionable.
Robinson-Earl, 25, has appeared in 214 total regular season games for Oklahoma City, New Orleans, and Indiana since making his NBA debut in 2021. In 17 games for the Pacers earlier this season, the 6’8″ forward averaged 4.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per night, but made just 34.9% of his field goal attempts, well below his career rate.
Robinson-Earl signed a pair of hardship 10-day contracts with Indiana in November, then was retained on a rest-of-season deal when those contracts expired. However, that new deal was non-guaranteed and he was later waived to make room on the 15-man roster for Garrison Mathews.
In recent weeks, Robinson-Earl – who was with the Mavericks during the preseason – joined the Texas Legends and has been a standout for Dallas’ G League affiliate. In 11 regular season outings at the NBAGL level, he has posted averages of 19.3 PPG and 11.7 RPG with improved shooting numbers (.522/.347/.944).
The Mavericks entered the day operating about $1.3MM below their second-apron hard cap. Robinson-Earl will carry a cap hit of $131,970, moving the team’s salary slightly closer to that ceiling.
Mavericks Notes: Davis, Luxury Tax, Marshall, Christie
Confirming that the Mavericks have renewed trade talks for Anthony Davis, Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), echoes a report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, writing that the Mavs would rather keep Davis than move him in a deal they don’t view as favorable in the long run. That could mean waiting until the summer, as the Suns did with Kevin Durant last season, in the hopes that a better offer materializes.
As Stein writes, one of the Mavs’ priorities in the second half of the season figures to be securing the highest draft pick possible, as this is the last year Dallas owns its first-round pick until 2031. So while the Mavs have expressed optimism about Davis’ ability to return this season from an injury affecting his non-shooting hand, they might hesitate to reactivate him down the stretch should that get in the way of their draft ambitions.
“For all intents and purposes, meaningful basketball in Dallas for Davis this season is over,” Shams Charania of ESPN said during an appearance on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).
We have more on the Mavs:
- One factor complicating the path to a Davis trade is the Mavs’ desire to reduce their luxury tax bill and avoid the second tax apron next season, Stein writes. Dallas has a projected luxury tax bill of around $31.9MM this season, thanks in large part to Davis’ $54.1MM cap hit. The Raptors are one of the teams rumored to be a leading candidate to trade for the big man, which Charania reiterated in his report today, but any offer they make for Davis would likely include the multiyear contracts of RJ Barrett as well as one of Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl, Stein writes, which would fail to bring cap relief to Dallas.
- Naji Marshall has been rumored as a potential trade target for teams looking at the wing trade market. Stein confirms that teams have been inquiring about his availability, but writes that the Mavericks would prefer not to move the versatile 27-year-old, who has largely outplayed his contract value. Marshall is averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 28.7 minutes per game. Stein adds, though, that an offer generating some level of salary relief to the Mavs would likely get consideration.
- Max Christie is now viewed by the Mavericks as part of the team’s long-term plans, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. Christie, who has started 29 of 38 games, is averaging a career-high 12.3 points per game while shooting 44.1% from three and taking on tough defensive assignments on the perimeter. He’s also on a team-friendly deal, making $7.7MM this season and nearly $8.3MM next year, with a player option in the 2027/28 season. The next step in his development, from the team’s perspective, is increasing his three-point volume — he’s taking 5.4 attempts per game, but Dallas wants to see that number increase, says Clark.
Central Notes: Giannis, Jenkins, Pistons, J. Walker
Milwaukee fans booed the Bucks during Tuesday’s blowout loss against Minnesota, and Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the same reaction to the home crowd, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. After scoring a basket and getting knocked to the court on a foul early in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo did a two-thumbs-down gesture and booed the fans while sitting under the basket.
Antetokounmpo has used the same gesture to respond to jeering crowds on the road, and he explained, “Whenever I get booed, I boo back,” regardless of where he’s playing.
“I play basketball for my teammates,” he said. “I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don’t believe in me, I don’t tend to be with them. I tend to do what I’m here to do, what I’m good at. … It won’t change home or away. But yeah, I’ve never been a part of something like that before and I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
“I’m not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don’t play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we’re not where we’re supposed to be. I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on (a) basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years. And I’m basically the all-time leader in everything.”
Although it may be an isolated incident, Antetokounmpo’s reaction has to be disturbing for a front office that has been going out of its way to keep its star player happy. The Bucks are viewed as buyers heading into the trade deadline in hopes of upgrading their roster to make a postseason run, but Tuesday’s loss dropped them to 17-23 and left them 1.5 games out of the final play-in spot.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins is limited to 50 games on his two-way contract, and Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press points out in a subscriber-only mailbag column that he’s likely to reach that limit on February 5, which is also the day of the trade deadline. There’s a good chance Detroit will open up a roster spot and give a standard contract to Jenkins, who has emerged as a rotation player in his second NBA season, with Sankofa speculating that it’s likely to be a one- or two-year deal.
- Hunter Patterson of The Athletic examines ways the Pistons can use a traded player exception that allows them to take on an additional $14.3MM in salary. He cites Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Spurs center Kelly Olynyk, Hawks wing Luke Kennard, Celtics forward Sam Hauser and Mavericks wing Max Christie as potential targets. If Detroit doesn’t use it in a deal by the deadline, the TPE will remain available through July 7.
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has singled out the play of third-year forward Jarace Walker after each of the last two games, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Walker contributed 11 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench in Monday’s win over Boston. “He’s playing with force,” Carlisle said. “He’s playing with force at both ends. He’s done a lot of good things defensively. He’s rebounding the ball. Stepping into the right shots. As a third-year player, things are going to slow down as you progress in your career. Reads become more obvious. He’s making good decisions.”
Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Davis, Christie, Washington
Although he had an excellent December in being named the NBA’s Western Conference Rookie of the Month for the second straight time, Cooper Flagg‘s energy and production have noticeably dipped over the past few games as the Mavericks forward adjusts to the rigors of an 82-game season, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
“He’s playing a lot of minutes,” head coach Jason Kidd said before Saturday’s game. “So to touch this rookie wall that I think he’s touching right now, and to be able to play through it is a positive.”
As Townsend observes, 2025’s No. 1 overall pick has already eclipsed the total minutes he played last season at Duke and ranks seventh in the league in minutes played.
Flagg got in early foul trouble Saturday, Townsend notes, and has been struggling with his shot over the past three games, converting just 29.8% of his 15.7 field goal attempts and averaging 12.3 points. But he’s still contributing in other ways, with 7.0 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game over that stretch.
Here’s more from Dallas:
- The Mavericks snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday behind strong performances from former Lakers Anthony Davis and Max Christie, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Star big man Davis finished with 26 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), 12 rebounds, three assists and five blocks in 39 minutes. It was his 36th career game with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, tying Tim Duncan for the seventh-most games with that stat line in league history, Afseth adds.
- As for Christie, the 22-year-old has been playing his best basketball of the season over the past three games, averaging 22.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 3.0 APG on .657/.550/1.000 shooting. The 6’5″ shooting guard finished Saturday’s game with 24 points (on 10-of-13 shooting) and seven rebounds and also recorded three dunks, which he joked about afterward, according to Afseth. “Three might be the most of my career,” Christie said, laughing. “It felt good to be athletic out there, to be able to attack the rim and get a couple of dunks.”
- P.J. Washington was limited to just 12 minutes Saturday after spraining his right ankle, tweets Townsend. The Mavs ruled the veteran forward out for the remainder of the game due to the injury.
Injury Notes: Warriors, Antetokounmpo, Suggs, Flagg, Lively
Jonathan Kuminga is expected to be available on Monday after missing the Warriors‘ win over the Suns on Saturdaydue to an illness, reports The Athletic’s Nick Friedell (Twitter link).
Friedell notes that Kuminga was at Golden State’s film session on Sunday. The 23-year-old forward has only played in one of the Warriors’ previous five games, as he has been in and out of coach Steve Kerr‘s rotation even when he’s active.
Friedell adds that Al Horford and Seth Curry are still out with back and glute injuries, respectively.
Horford has only played 13 games this season, his first with Golden State, and has suited up for two of the team’s last 13 contests. He’s averaging career lows in points and rebounds.
Curry has played just two games since joining the Warriors on December 1. He scored 14 points in just under 18 minutes in his season debut, but was held scoreless in his second outing.
We have more injury news from around the league:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo remains out with the calf strain that has kept him sidelined since early December, but he participated in the Bucks‘ shootaround before Sunday’s contest against the Timberwolves, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter video link). Head coach Doc Rivers previously stated that the team would be cautious with their star forward’s recovery process, but this marked a step in the right direction for the two-time MVP.
- Jalen Suggs is listed as questionable for the Magic‘s game against the Warriors on Monday due to a left hip contusion, notes Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). Suggs has missed the team’s last two games due to the injury. Beede adds that Tristan Da Silva is questionable with a shoulder contusion.
- Mavericks rookie forward Cooper Flagg is questionable for Monday’s game against the Pelicans with a back contusion, writes Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The No. 1 overall pick has been on a hot streak of late, averaging 27.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks over his last four games. Curtis adds that Klay Thompson (left knee soreness), Max Christie (illness), and two-way players Moussa Cisse and Miles Kelly are all questionable for the game as well.
- Dereck Lively II underwent successful surgery on his right foot, the Mavericks announced via their team Twitter account. It was reported on December 10 that Lively would undergo season-ending surgery to address ongoing discomfort in the foot. The operation was performed in London.
Lakers Notes: Hachimura, AD, LaRavia, Smart, Christie
Ahead of Friday’s matchup with Dallas, Rui Hachimura said he’s satisfied with the role he has with the Lakers, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter video link).
“I’m not trying to be a superstar. … I’m just trying to help the team win — whatever they ask,” Hachimura said. “I like my role here … I’m really trying to win the championship with this team. I like how they’ve been treating me. … So, I’m happy.”
The former lottery pick (No. 9 overall in 2019) has gotten off to a strong offensive start in 2025/26, averaging 14.9 points per game on elite efficiency (.568/.483/.735 shooting line) while chipping in 3.9 rebounds per game through 16 outings (33.5 MPG). The 27-year-old forward is earning approximately $18.3MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Hachimura admitted he hasn’t gotten used to seeing Anthony Davis in an opposing team’s uniform, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter video link). “It’s still weird sometimes when I see him on the TV or like, when I play against him. It feels weird,” Hachimura said. Davis returned to action on Friday for his first game against his former team after missing a month with a calf strain. The 10-time All-Star received a “warm reception” from Lakers fans when he was introduced as a starter for the Mavericks, tweets Mark Medina.
- In an EssentiallySports interview with Medina, free agent addition Jake LaRavia says he’s enjoying his time with Los Angeles, adding that the “vibes on our team are very good.” “It’s been great,” LaRavia told Medina. “We have a great group of guys. Just to be able to play with AR (Austin Reaves), Luka (Doncic) and ‘Bron (LeBron James) has really been beneficial for me. It’s a very exciting team. It’s a great city. There are great fans. So the whole experience so far has been really good.”
- After previously being listed as questionable, Marcus Smart was then downgraded to doubtful and then out ahead of Friday’s game, as McMenamin relays (via Twitter). The former Defensive Player of the Year is dealing with back spasms.
- Mavericks guard Max Christie, who was included alongside Davis in the blockbuster trade for Doncic, downplayed the significance of facing his former team again. “It’s the same. I mean I was here last year, too. I’m a Maverick so I’m not really thinking about it like that. It’s just another game,” Christie said (Twitter link via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News). “It feels good. It’s cool to be back. Just another game.”
Cooper Flagg Hurts Shoulder, Kept On Bench Late In Game
Monday marked the worst night of Cooper Flagg‘s brief NBA career, beginning with an injury on the first play of the game and ending with him watching from the bench as the Mavericks tried to complete a comeback against Oklahoma City, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Flagg managed to play 31 minutes, but he wore a large wrap on his left shoulder and treated it with heat whenever he came out. He received medical treatment after the game and told reporters that he’s optimistic about playing Wednesday against Indiana.
“We’re going to probably get some scans or whatever, make sure everything’s all clean, but I feel like it’s just a little sore,” Flagg said. “Just want to keep an eye on it, ice it, do some rehab and should be good to go.”
Flagg hurt his shoulder while battling for a rebound with Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein and was in obvious discomfort for the rest of the night, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). He finished with two points and shot just 1-of-9 from the field, leading to coach Jason Kidd‘s decision to keep him out of the game in crunch time as Dallas nearly overtook OKC after trailing by 22 points.
It also marked Flagg’s first back-to-back in the NBA after he scored 22 points on Sunday in a win over Toronto.
“I think in general, one of the biggest differences from college to this level is handling and preparing for a back-to-back like that, physically,” he said. “That was something I was going through tonight anyway, just being a little flat. A little banged up, but you gotta find ways to play through it to be successful.”
If Flagg has to miss any time, he would be the latest addition to the Mavs’ growing injury list. Centers Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford were both unavailable for Monday’s game, so Kidd gave Max Christie his first start of the season.
Kidd complimented Flagg for showing that he’s a “tough kid” by playing through pain, but said his decision to sit him late in the game was made to give Dallas the best chance to win. Flagg, who has been considered one of the top players in the country dating back to high school and has never experienced that situation before, said he understands.
“The way the game was going, we had a group out there that was doing really well and was on a run, so I see where Coach was at with that,” Flagg said. “And I mean, I was flat. I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t impacting the game at a high level, wasn’t doing the right stuff. So obviously, that’s an easy decision for Coach. He was just out there trying to win the game.”
Mavs Notes: Davis, Lineups, Arena Site, Casson, Preseason
Injuries prevented the Mavericks from taking a long look at double-big lineups last season. They plan to utilize their size next season in the hopes of making a deep playoff run, Christian Clark of The Athletic writes.
Clark notes that Anthony Davis logged only 95 minutes with either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford in the middle. Davis is expected to play the bulk of his minutes at power forward next season.
“That’s something we have a huge advantage (with) going forward: our size,” Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghame said. “The talent with that size, that’s something we put on a premium here, and it’s been really, really good for us so far.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- In the same story, Clark projects the opening night lineup, with Davis and Lively joined by top pick Cooper Flagg in the frontcourt and D’Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson starting in the backcourt. P.J. Washington, Gafford, Caleb Martin, Naji Marshall and Dante Exum or Max Christie are projected to fill out the rotation.
- Mavericks CEO Rick Welts said that multiple sites for a new arena are being considered and the process is in the early stages. “We have been presented several sites by the city and we are doing a deeper dive on two of them currently to see how viable they are,” he told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Neither may work and we may refocus on others.” Welts has set a goal of choosing a site by the end of the year or early next year. “The process is going to go on, I would guess, for months. But, no, we’re not like on the 10-yard line,” he added.
- Ethan Casson has been named president of business operations for the franchise, Townsend reports in a separate story. Casson announced last month he would step down after nine years as the Timberwolves’ CEO after the sale of the franchise was finalized. He will report to Welts once his new job officially begins on Aug. 11.
- The Mavs will play an Oct. 6 preseason game against the Thunder in Fort Worth, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal, as well as a neutral site preseason contest in Las Vegas against the Lakers on Oct. 15. The remainder of the preseason slate has yet to be revealed.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Christie, Lazare, Spurs
Rockets fans should expect to see much more of the two-big lineups featuring Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams this season, writes Kelly Iko for The Athletic.
Despite the fact that neither are shooters — Sengun made just 23.3% of his three-pointers last season while Adams is 1-of-17 in his career from beyond the arc — Houston found an unexpected level of success playing the duo together. The two skilled international bigs were able to leverage their passing, rebounding, and toughness around the rim to great success, and Iko writes that other Western Conference teams took note and may attempt to follow suit.
Bringing in Clint Capela should help the Rockets manage Adams’ minutes, though since Capela is less of a play-maker than the other two centers, it remains to be seen if they’ll attempt to capture the same type of magic by putting him in lineups with Sengun.
The Rockets know that Sengun will have to expand his range, not just for these lineups, but also to facilitate playing with Amen Thompson, another very limited shooter. Iko writes that becoming more comfortable outside of the three-point line is one of Sengun’s priorities this offseason, and Thompson is hard at work on his jumper as well.
We have more from the Southwest division:
- Max Christie is excited to reunite with new Mavericks teammate D’Angelo Russell, writes Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News. “That’s one of my closest friends and closest teammates,” Christie said. “We were together for two years out in L.A. and I respect him a lot.” Christie has had an eventful start to his career, from playing with LeBron James to being included in a trade for Luka Doncic, to now forming a new young core with Cooper Flagg and Dereck Lively II to complement Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, when Irving returns from injury. He’s excited for the challenge, citing the day he was traded as his favorite day as an NBA player. “We got a good roster,” he said. “We got a good coaching staff. We’re looking forward to making a big splash in the West.”
- The Grizzlies are adding Darnell Lazare onto their coaching staff, Drew Hill reports for The Daily Memphian (subscriber link). Lazare previously worked for the Grizzlies as a player development coach in 2018 before joining the Pelicans in a similar role, notes Damichael Cole writes for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Cole writes that Lazare is expected to work with Memphis’ big man rotation after working closely with Pelicans rookie Yves Missi last season.
- The Spurs have committed over $1 billion in funding to San Antonio’s downtown revitalization, which will include a new arena, write Amanda Moreno and Chris Hoffman of News 4 San Antonio. The civic project, known as Project Marvel, could cost up to $4 billion in total, and the Spurs’ commitment is expected to help alleviate some of the fiscal concerns. The Spurs’ investment includes $500MM for a new arena, $500MM in downtown development, and $60MM in community incentives, affordable tickets, and small business support. “As we have done since 1973, we are operating in good faith, grounded in deep love for our community and a sincere desire to help San Antonio thrive,” said Spurs chairman Peter J. Holt. The team is asking the city to contribute another $500MM to the arena costs. The Spurs are expected to stay in their current home, the Frost Bank Arena, until 2032, when the lease expires.