Contrary to popular belief, the Philadelphia 76ers are actually one of the few teams in the league that can get by even if they do not execute a single trade before the deadline this season. Having said that, the front office should remain opportunistic and stay alert for desirable players who fit them well and who may end up becoming available for taking.
One name no is talking about who should probably be a popular trade target for teams in the league is Max Christie. Overlooked in the controversial Luka-AD trade, the 22-year-old has emerged as a very good role player for the otherwise struggling Mavericks, averaging career-highs across the board and playing well on both ends as a complementary piece.
The 76ers, still in need of a more consistent off-ball threat, should definitely look into inquiring about Christie. As it turns out, Dallas might be enticed into trading the young wing given that they are currently in a state of flux. Just recently, longtime NBA insider Marc Stein bared that the Mavericks are willing to trade anyone on the roster not named Cooper Flagg or Kyrie Irving. Put simply, he is available in trades.
The 76ers should pursue Max Christie as their prime trade target this season
At 6’5”, Christie is more of a swingman than a tweener, although the 76ers actually do need a reinforcement at the 2 and 3. So far, he has registered 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per outing while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three-point territory, which ranks fifth among all qualified players as of writing.
The 76ers bench, which is primarily powered by Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain, has improved compared to a season ago, but absolutely not to the point where the front office should be comfortable. And given their roster construction, chasing Christie would allow the 76ers to define roles with more clarity given their current logjam in the backcourt.
Christie is also on a pretty modest contract, making just less than $8 million per season. Matching his salary should be a breeze for the 76ers. In fact, even a direct swap between him and Jared McCain works — and with Dallas needing a point guard, that could be enough to convince and cudgel them into a deal.
So far, there has been little to no reports about other ball clubs actively pursuing Max Christie. Hence, the Philadelphia 76ers should strike the iron while still hot and go for gold right away before it’s too late — so long as the Mavericks stay reasonable.