Max Christie is poised to take on a bigger role with the Dallas Mavericks, and his performance could swing the season in either direction. According to ESPN, Christie is the team's biggest X-factor, with his shooting and perimeter defense being crucial to the team's success. Christie had a career-high 12.3 points per game last season, while also making 40% of his 3-pointers. He is expected to start at shooting guard alongside Kyrie Irving, and his pairing with Irving is central to his importance. Christie's shooting gives Cooper Flagg and Irving more room to operate, and he fills a positional need for the Mavericks as the only traditional shooting guard on a roster filled with forwards and bigs. However, Christie needs to improve his consistency and become a reliable defender against opposing guards and wings. He has not established himself as a proven perimeter stopper yet, and Dallas needs him to fill that role. Christie's future with the Mavericks is also tied to this season's performance, as he is eligible for an extension this offseason. A strong season would strengthen his position for a significant payday, and proving he can start for a winning team while defending at a high level and shooting efficiently would give him a clear case for a larger role and contract. The roster around him gives Christie a better environment for efficient offense, with Flagg and Irving drawing defensive attention and creating opportunities for Christie to operate without the ball. Christie's career-best numbers were stronger early in the season, and maintaining his early-season efficiency would change his value to the Mavericks. Through the end of January, Christie averaged 13.2 points while shooting 44.2 percent from 3-point range, but those numbers fell to 11 points per game and 35.1 percent from 3-point range over the rest of the season. Christie finished third on the roster in total points, and his shooting and perimeter defense will be key to the Mavericks' success this season. With the opportunity and pressure facing him, Christie has to show he can handle both sides of his role and take the next step to become a two-way shooting guard for the Mavericks.