One piece of consistent messaging that has come from the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason is that Max Christie — the third-year Michigan State guard — is going to see a drastic increase in role and responsibility this season. Christie did not get much playing time under former head coach Darvin Ham, but his skillset as a 3-and-D guard should fit perfectly next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
New head coach JJ Redick has stated on several occasions that Christie has made improvements this summer and believes he’ll be utilized properly in his system. So with that, the expectation is that Christie is going to have the best season of his career up to this point.
And James echoed that sentiment with Lakers practices underway for the 2024-25 season. He spoke about how Christie has looked thus far and what he sees in the future for the young guard.
“Fantastic. I think Max will be a big part of our rotation,” James said after the Lakers’ first practice. “He’s getting better and better. I’m happy we were able to bring him back in the summer. I look forward to a bright future from him.”
Playing next to James has helped the development of many young players over the last two decades. Even when James was young himself, he had a way of making players better around him, and more opportunities for Christie increases the chances of that happening.
The Lakers have seen the results of James being paired next to a young guard with 3-and-D skillsets like Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves. And it could be argued that Christie is actually the best blend of offense and defense, giving him an even greater chance of success next to James.
If he does make the leap that many expect in the organization, then the four-year, $32 million contract Christie signed in the offseason will look like even more of a steal.
Max Christie ready for consistent role
Max Christie has to show that he is capable of playing big minutes at the NBA level this season. He has never been given this type of opportunity in the Lakers rotation. So beyond the work he’s put in on the court in the offseason, he has to find something to lean on from his first two seasons.
For Christie, that means remembering the lessons that were taught to him by observing the Lakers’ stars over the last two seasons. He spoke about those at Lakers Media Day.
“I think the first two years for me, I got a little bit of experience under my belt,” Christie said. “But I think the biggest thing is I’ve been able to observe some of the highest-level athletes that we have on our team and how they go about their business. And for me to be able to learn that and see how they’re doing it, hopefully this year for me, when I earn a rotation spot I can come in and implement that. Try to impact the game as much as possible.
“We have a really good team this year and the goal for us is always a championship. So in any way that I can contribute to that, I’m looking forward to doing that. The last two years of observing us winning at a high level, we’ve been to the playoffs both years, so just trying to add to that.”
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