Lakers Plan to Make Young Role Player Full-Time Rotation Piece

Is this the right call for Los Angeles?

Mar 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) takes his technical free throw shot in front of Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (10) forward Taurean Prince (12) guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) and forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Third-year Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Max Christie has never made much of an impression on L.A.'s rotation.

The Michigan State product, selected with the No. 35 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, briefly became a part of the Lakers' lineups during the first half of the 2022-23 NBA season. The team was trotting out an ill-fitting group prior to a swath of personnel-balancing trades midway through the season, and was particularly heavy on undersized guards who didn't play defense.

Christie, seen as a 3-and-D role player coming out of college, was instantly a superior defensive option to basically all of the Lakers' rostered guards. After Rob Pelinka's various trades brought in more proven veterans, Christie essentially lost that rotation spot.

Last year, on a far more veteran-laden roster, Christie appeared in 67 contests (including seven starts) for Los Angeles, averaging 4.2 points on .427/.356/.783 shooting splits, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.9 steals a night. He was not part of then-head coach Darvin Ham's playoff rotations during the Lakers' five-game first round loss against the Denver Nuggets.

So it came as something of a surprise this summer when Christie, a restricted free agent, was signed to a four-year, $32 million contract by Los Angeles — a real investment in a player who hadn't shown the Lakers a ton on the floor.

On his podcast "The Hoop Collective," ESPN's Brian Windhorst revealed that Lakers head coach JJ Redick indeed intends to make Christie a major part of the team's rotation.

“Their big signing was Max Christie,” Windhorst said of the Lakers' offseason free agent moves, neglecting to mention that the team had also signed free agent All-NBA combo forward LeBron James to a two-season, $101.4 million new deal. “They signed him to that contract with the intent to play him a lot. So, they’re going to play Austin Reaves. They’re going to play Christie.”

Last year's Lakers went 47-35 and did not advance beyond the first round of the playoffs. The 2023 vintage made it to the Western Conference Finals. All-Stars James and Anthony Davis are both on the wrong side of the 30, and significant injury risks. The team added two intriguing rookies in former Tennessee shooting guard Dalton Knecht — seen as a lottery prospect who fell to the No. 17 pick — and ex-USC point guard Bronny James, LeBron's eldest son. Knecht may be able to contribute right away, but it is expected that Bronny James will log a lot of time developing with L.A.'s NBAGL affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

Can Christie, Knecht or second-year players Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis contribute this season on a team that desperately needs some role player help? The Lakers' 2025 postseason may depend on it.

More Lakers: Los Angeles Center Christian Wood Breaks Silence After Undergoing Knee Surgery