Injuries affected the Los Angeles Lakers in spurts this year with Jarred Vanderbilt being the latest to miss extended time with a right foot injury. It is a next-man-up mentality for L.A., meaning Max Christie should see more meaningful minutes.
In the final two games of the Grammy road trip, Christie showcased the 3-and-D potential that the Lakers were hoping for. The Michigan State product totaled 12 points and three blocks, providing that energy and activity on the defensive end, something that Vanderbilt provided.
Only 20-years-old, Christie’s stock will rise if he continues to impress in these minutes. With the trade deadline looming, Christie was in Kyrie Irving rumors last year and is now going through it again. It is hard for players to hear their names in potential deals, but he shared he how tunes out trade rumors.
“Yeah, that’s out of my control,” Christie said of the rumors. “I’ve said it a lot of times throughout the year, just show up and be a pro. That’s all I can do. Be a professional, show up on time, work as hard as I can. Like I said, the trade rumors are out of my control so there’s nothing I can do about that and there’s no point in worrying about it if I can’t do anything about it. So me just showing up and being the best version of myself, being the best version I can for this team, or if I end up on another team then whatever team that is. Right now it’s the Lakers so all I have to do is be the best version of myself and try to be the best player I can be.”
For Christie to maintain a professional mindset not even two full seasons in the NBA is a sign of maturity. If or when Vanderbilt returns, Christie will continue to see more minutes and he thinks the game is beginning to slow down for him.
“It’s slowed down a lot, for sure. I think I’ve gotten a lot of consistent minutes the past month or two so being able to know that you’re going in the game and look at what you can really attack on the offensive end and obviously the defensive end for me to,” he said.
“So it’s slowed down a little bit for sure, just being able to play consistently and you got guys like LeBron and AD making it a lot easier for you as a role player. They get a lot of attention on offense so just making simple plays with the ball in my hand and then off the ball, making some cuts and being aggressive. It’s slowed down for me, for sure.”
After an impressive summer, Christie was bound to see some more rotational minutes and this recent stretch has been reassuring for his development.
The Lakers scouting department is always trying to find a diamond in the rough and Christie seems to be another find. The only way to learn and grow is to get out on the floor and he seems to cherish the opportunity.
Lakers trade deadline rumors: preference is to keep Max Christie
While Christie is still learning and developing at 20-years-old, opposing teams are beginning to take notice. With a trade potentially on the horizon, the Lakers preference is to keep Christie although that could always change if the right deal presents itself.
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