The blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and brought Anthony Davis and Max Christie to the Dallas Mavericks reshaped both teams overnight. Speaking with Mavericks reporter Noah Weber, Davis offered rare honesty on the emotional swing that followed, from shock to stability, as he adjusted to life in Dallas. The Mavericks entered a new era with Davis in the middle and Christie on the wing, while Luka’s departure to the Lakers closed a defining chapter. The move carried weight. Davis did not pretend otherwise.
Anthony Davis on going through the highs and lows over the last 10 months since being traded with Max Christie:
“We handle this in our own way. He golfs to kind of relieve stress, I don’t. A little bit. Actually pretty good…We haven’t really talked about it…But he’s found his… pic.twitter.com/z5EFyhndjy
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) December 13, 2025
“We handle this in our own way,” Davis said. “He golfs to kind of relieve stress, I don’t. A little bit. Actually pretty good.” The early stretch was quiet for the Mavericks. The shock lingered. “We haven’t really talked about it,” Davis admitted. When the trade happened, words felt useless. “It was nothing that I could really say to help him understand about the business, especially when it was like a shocker.” Christie was young. The moment hit fast. Dallas felt unfamiliar. The pressure stayed loud around the Mavericks.
Time did the work for the Mavericks. Max Christie found his circle. He adjusted. “He’s found his guys, he found his own ways where he can cope with the trade,” Davis said. The change came naturally within the Mavericks’ locker room. Confidence followed comfort.
Growth shows up before words for the Mavericks
Anthony Davis saw the shift before anyone asked about it. “Now, he’s getting out of that shell, he’s talking more,” he said. The difference showed on the floor. The rhythm returned. The hesitation disappeared. “I think he’s came out better,” Davis added. Then the praise landed clearly. “Now he’s one of the top 3-point shooters in the league.”
For the Mavericks, that growth matters. Luka Doncic is gone, but belief still drives the room. Davis sounds settled. Christie looks free. The adjustment was not instant. It was earned.
Dallas didn’t just pull off a blockbuster. It absorbed the human side of it too. And if this is what progress looks like before everything fully clicks, what comes next when the Mavericks finally hit full stride?
