How Lakers' Max Christie can right the ship after a polarizing first week
The first week of the 2024-25 NBA regular season was one of the best in recent memory for the Los Angeles Lakers. Matched up against three teams that won at least 46 games in 2023-24, the Lakers went 3-0 under first-year head coach JJ Redick.
The team's success matters more than any other talking point, but there's one player who hasn't quite lived up to the team's lofty expectations through four games: Max Christie.
During a summer of general inactivity, Christie re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $32 million contract. The deal was given to him with the expectation that he would develop into the 3-and-D wing that many within the organization believe he can be.
It was a profound leap of faith by the Lakers after previous head coach Darvin Ham opted to limit Christie's playing time in 2022-23 and 2023-24 despite the myriad of injuries the team sustained.
Unfortunately, Christie averaged just 13.7 minutes between the first three games of the 2024-25 season—down from his mark of 14.1 in 2023-24. The reason is easy to understand, as he shot 25.0 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from beyond the arc during the NBA's opening week.
Thankfully, one week will not define Christie's season—and the areas in which he must improve are entirely manageable.
Christie shooting poorly has been disappointing to see, especially as the Lakers have engaged in shootouts with the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings. He hasn't been forcing the issue, however, which is the first reason for optimism.
Christie is taking what the defense gives him on most possessions, and has been willingly working without the ball to help create optimal spacing.
It may take some time before the shots start falling, but they will ultimately fall. He knocked down 37.8 percent of his three-point field goals during his first two seasons, with a more than sufficient sample size of 180 attempts.
Having established himself as an efficient three-point shooter, Christie's early woes can comfortably be attributed to the simple fact that the season has only just begun.
With an early slump verified as uncharacteristically poor, the focus then shifts to an area of strength: Defense. Christie hasn't been perfect, nor has any Laker other than a possible exception to be made for Anthony Davis, but his effort has been commendable.
Whether he's closing the distance between himself and a ball-handler when fighting over a screen or running back in transition, Christie is sprinting at full speed from place to place.
That level of intensity is a crucial element of what makes Christie likely to overcome his woeful form and turn in a strong season. He's one of the most promising 3-and-D players on the roster, and the flaws in his game are simply about making or missing shots—and not his general approach to the game.
Patience will be required, but if Lakers fans give Christie more time than Ham, a quality two-way player should soon emerge.
