Tag: Max Christie

The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster looks an awful lot like the roster the Lakers had to finish this past season. That means they still have the same deficiencies, including but not limited to a lack of athleticism, 3-point shooting, perimeter defense, big man depth and defensive rebounding.

It also means they will need a good deal of internal improvement to become anything close to a championship contender this coming season.

There is some hope that simply having better health and getting improvement from young players, as well as better coaching, will give the Lakers significantly better results during the 2024-25 season. That would mean wing Max Christie will have to make a sizable jump.

As Jovan Buha pointed out, the franchise does believe in Christie’s potential.

Via The Athletic:

“The Lakers confirmed their belief in Christie’s potential by making him their first signing hours before free agency began on June 30, agreeing to a four-year, $32 million contract with a player option in the fourth season,” wrote Buha. “The deal prevented Christie, an impending restricted free agent, from reaching the open market. He is now the eighth-highest-paid player on the team.

“Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and new head coach JJ Redick sold Christie on their development plan for him next season and beyond. By signing Christie, who won’t turn 22 until February, to a contract based more on his future than his past, the Lakers hoped to show a good-faith commitment to his growth and simultaneously avoid a rival suitor swooping in and offering him more money.

“… Christie’s career averages — 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists on 42.4 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from 3 and 80.6 percent from the free-throw line across 108 games — are unremarkable. But the Lakers invested in him with his upside in mind. And if he actualizes that potential, he could become a valuable part of a rotation lacking in two-way talent and athleticism.”

The 21-year-old, who will be entering his third pro season, was taken by the Lakers as a second-round pick in 2022. He has been projected to become a 3-and-D player, but then-head coach Darvin Ham didn’t play him a ton this past season, which partly led to Ham being fired.

Christie confirmed that he worked with new Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick this month when both were in Las Vegas during NBA summer league play.

“While in Las Vegas for two weeks watching younger brother Cam play in summer league after being drafted by the crosstown LA Clippers, Christie spent time with Redick at the team’s summer league practices,” wrote Buha. “The two spoke extensively about his role next season, including how the Lakers plan to use him as a cutter and a shooting weapon coming off pindowns. Redick directed drills and walked Christie through various actions in multiple workouts.

“… To prepare for his increased role, Christie has been working on making reads off closeouts at various parts of the floor. He’s familiar with that task considering spot-up play has been his primary offensive responsibility as a Laker, but he’s aiming to perform the role at a much higher level next season.

“… On defense, the 6-foot-6 Christie will be asked to check opponents’ primary backcourt or wing scorer, depending on the lineup configuration. This end of the floor has come more naturally to him through his first two seasons. Christie’s 6-9 wingspan, quick feet and hip mobility allow him to track primary ballhandlers around screens and recover against wing scorers.

“Christie has worked with the Lakers’ coaching and player development staff to become a more disruptive defender. He wants to make ballhandlers more uncomfortable, leading to them wasting the shot clock, picking up their dribble and/or moving the ball elsewhere. At the end of each workout, Christie goes through a set of defensive drills designed to test his stamina and mental fortitude when his legs are gone and his breath is short.”

Even the best version of Christie may not do a ton to help the Lakers make that jump to the NBA’s elite. But it would certainly provide the type of support that has been lacking to a certain extent ever since they won the world championship in 2020.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made absolutely no moves this summer other than signing Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, their two draft picks. At the same time, they lost two rotation players in Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie, which makes it seem as if their roster may actually be a little worse now.

While the Lakers certainly aren’t a championship contender, they do seem to be a legitimate playoff team, at least on paper. At the same time, one could argue that their lack of moves could work to their advantage in the form of greater roster continuity and chemistry.

That’s the way wing Max Christie feels. On a recent episode of “Buha’s Block,” he told The Athletic’s Jovan Buha that retaining the same core can lead to better results this coming season (at 11:09).

“I think next season, again, if you kind of look at the blueprint of teams that have been winning recently, for the most part a lot of teams stick together for a while,” said Christie. “They’re not really last minute, I mean the [Boston] Celtics have been around for a while, that group. And they added Jrue Holiday which helped them a lot, but they’ve had that group for a few years. You could say the same for the [Minnesota] Timberwolves. They didn’t win, but the run they had in the Playoffs and throughout the season, that group has been together for a little while. So I like the idea of us running it back with the group that we had because we really got along well. I think we had good chemistry together. We just need more experience with each other, and I think going on two and a half years now when we added D-Lo (D’Angelo Russell) and those guys at the deadline my rookie year, I think we’re getting a lot more reps together and getting more comfortable together. And like you said, we added two rookies with Dalton [Knecht] and Bronny [James], Gabe [Vincent] and [Jarred Vanderbilt] are healthy and I’m looking to make an impact as well. I think, on paper especially, we’re a really really good team. Now we just have to put it into practice and go out and show what we’re capable of. We made the playoffs both years, we ran into a really good Denver [Nuggets] team that gave us trouble both years. And like you said, the five-game series was close, we were winning for basically the whole series. For us, we just gotta finish those games, but we’re right there. I like the idea of us, we were right there and we were so close, we might as well just keep trying to build together. I’m looking forward to the season, I think we can really do a good job. And the West is tough, but I think that’ll help us.”

In recent years, Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka has been criticized for the team’s constant turnover of personnel from season to season, as well as for dismantling the 2020 championship squad by trading for Russell Westbrook. But over the last year or so, he has prioritized continuity.

Of course, he has indicated that he won’t hesitate to trade one or more key players in order to secure a clear upgrade. But if this is the team the Lakers go to war with this coming season, being together for a second full season and having better coaching could result in several more wins and more success in the playoffs.

Of course, those results could be enhanced even more if Christie, who is going into his third NBA season, makes the big jump some expect from him.

In his first two NBA seasons, guard Max Christie has shown the potential to develop into a legitimate 3-and-D player. He hasn’t gotten a great deal of playing time with the Los Angeles Lakers, especially last season when then-head coach Darvin Ham played him inconsistently, but he could be poised for a larger role this coming season.

The Lakers badly need more defensive pressure on the perimeter, and Christie has shown the ability and willingness to contest shots and even help out on the boards.

He will reportedly be switching jersey numbers from No. 10 to No. 12 for the 2024-25 season. Perhaps it is because his younger brother Cameron, who was a second-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Clippers last month, will also wear No. 12.

Max Christie (@Max12Christie) is switching to No. 12 for the #Lakers. Number last worn by Taurean Prince in 2024. #nba

Both Chritie brothers will wear 12 in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/CmEEItdzLN

— Etienne Catalan (@EtienneCatalan) July 7, 2024

Christie averaged 4.2 points in 14.1 minutes a game while shooting 42.7% from the field and 35.6% from 3-point range last season.

Free agency began on Sunday afternoon relatively quietly for the Los Angeles Lakers. There have been no big outside signings so far, despite rumors that Klay Thompson could be a realistic option for them.

They do have a couple of their own players they need to re-sign, beginning with, of course, LeBron James. James is reportedly willing to take a pay cut if the team lands a difference-making free agent with its mid-level exception.

But for now, it has reportedly retained one of its most promising young players. Guard Max Christie will sign a four-year, $32 million contract to stick around with the Purple and Gold.

ESPN Sources: Restricted free agent G Max Christie intends to sign a four-year, $32 million deal to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers. Deal includes player option. Christie — 35th pick in the 2022 draft — has shown promise as a future LA rotation player. pic.twitter.com/75Y86oszJa

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2024

Christie has shown the potential to become a 3-and-D player in his two NBA seasons. But his playing time didn’t increase during the 2023-24 campaign, and it was reportedly a factor in the firing of Darvin Ham.

Decisions are quickly being made by key members of the Los Angeles Lakers as far as the player option on their contracts for the 2024-25 season.

Starting point guard D’Angelo Russell and backup center Jaxson Hayes decided to exercise their player options in order to remain with the team. Several weeks ago, big man Christian Wood also picked up his player option for next year.

Of course, LeBron James opted out on Saturday, making him a free agent.

Another decision on a key rotation player will come relatively soon. The Lakers tendered a qualifying offer to guard Max Christie, which means he will be a restricted free agent.

Sources: The Lakers tendered a qualifying offer to guard Max Christie, which makes him a restricted free agent, @hoopshype has learned. The 21-year-old appeared in 67 games for the Lakers last season. He’s expected to be one of the more sought after young wings in free agency. pic.twitter.com/mxf9k79vRY

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 29, 2024

Christie continued to show promise this year in his second season out of Michigan State University. However, then-head coach Darvin Ham didn’t play him a lot, and it was reportedly a reason Ham was ultimately fired.

Plenty of Lakers fans have been calling for Christie to play a larger role. According to insider Anthony Irwin, those fans may get their wish.

The Lakers really want to see more of Max this season. I’m told his lack of a role last season was one of the absolute biggest sources of frustration between the organization and Darvin Ham. https://t.co/Bz8aSFcgQ9

— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) June 29, 2024

The 21-year-old averaged 4.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocked shots in 14.1 minutes a game while shooting 42.7% from the field and 35.6% from 3-point range this season.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have multiple rotation players become free agents this summer. That list starts with LeBron James, who is expected to opt out of his current deal, most likely to get a new one from them.

One other player who will hit the open market is reserve wing Max Christie. Christie was a second-round draft pick in 2022, and many believe he has the potential to become a legitimate 3-and-D player. He has shown a willingness to give 100% on the defensive end and help on the boards, as well as an ability to hit open 3-pointers.

However, his playing time has been inconsistent thus far. Plenty of Lakers fans criticized former head coach Darvin Ham for keeping Taurean Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie and even Cam Reddish ahead of Christie in the rotation, even though Dinwiddie struggled and Reddish contributed next to nothing most of the time.

According to The Athletic beat writer Jovan Buha in a Lakers mailbag episode, this decision by Ham played a role in him getting fired about a week ago (h/t Lakers Daily).

“From what I’ve been told, the Lakers have interest in him,” Lakers insider Jovan Buha said of Christie. “They want to retain him. And they still see the potential in him that was — I think part of the disconnect in terms of the front office and the coaching staff, in terms of Max Christie’s role and him being underutilized.”

Los Angeles certainly wants to sign Christie to a new contract, especially considering his potential and the fact he’s just 21 years of age.

“So, from my understanding, the Lakers are going to try to retain him. Now as for what that deal would look like, based on the Lakers’ track record, it would probably be a three-year deal — maybe four, given his youth — but at least three. I would probably lean three and then something in like the $15 (million) to $20 million range. So, something like five to seven million annually.”

Christie will be a restricted free agent, and the Lakers have his early Bird rights, which will certainly help them keep him. But they don’t have much wiggle room under the NBA’s extremely restrictive salary cap, and so it’s not a foregone conclusion he will be with them next season.