Heading into this offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers had some key decisions to make with one of them being the free agency of Max Christie.
After drafting Christie in the second round in 2022, the Lakers only signed him to a two-year deal, which means he hit restricted free agency earlier than most. He was extended a qualifying offer to make that happen.
Christie showed real flashes of being a 3-and-D wing as he credibly defended perimeter threats and displayed better perimeter shooting and a burgeoning off-the-bounce game. However, once Spencer Dinwiddie arrived and Gabe Vincent returned from injury, Christie was buried on former head coach Darvin Ham’s bench.
Despite the lack of playing time and opportunity, the Lakers had interest in bringing Christie back and it appears that will be the case, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
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’s agent Kevin Bradbury of @LiftSportsmngmt and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka negotiated a deal that keeps Christie out of restricted free agency. Christie has been a developmental success story for the Lakers. https://t.co/Teup2i5mPk
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2024
Christie was expected to have a solid market in free agency but due to the Lakers’ ability to match any offer, he now gets to stay in Los Angeles where he’ll have another chance to compete for a rotational role under new head coach JJ Redick. The terms of the deal are fair for both sides as it gives Christie some guaranteed money and the Lakers keep one of their own prospects in their system for the foreseeable future.
The new deal also gives the front office an additional asset to dangle in trades should they strike out on any of their reported targets in the trade market this summer. However, even if they can’t use Christie in a trade, there are worse things than having a wing player that can develop behind the scenes some more.
For now, Christie will be back in the mix for the Lakers competing for a rotation spot.
Lakers’ Max Christie wanted an opportunity in the Nuggets series
The Lakers clearly needed more help on the perimeter in their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets as they looked routinely compromised defensively. Max Christie didn’t see any meaningful minutes in the series and he later admitted he wanted an opportunity to contribute.
Now that he will be back though, hopefully he will be a fixture in the Lakers’ rotation moving forward.
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