The Los Angeles Lakers are re-signing Max Christie to a four-year, $32 million deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Christie would have been a restricted free agent had the Lakers failed to secure his signature before 6 p.m. on Sunday. Christie was the No. 35 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and the Lakers view him as an important developmental piece moving forward.
Christie has not played much in his two years as a Laker. He's totaled only 1,456 minutes across those two seasons, never earning Darvin Ham's trust enough to get a consistent role in the Laker rotation. However, the Lakers are prioritizing internal development under new head coach JJ Redick, and Christie's youth and skill set make him a big part of next year's plans.
Christie is a 3-and-D wing prospect. He's shot just below 38% from 3-point range in his career thus far, and at 6-feet-6 with a nearly 6-9 wingspan, he has the physical tools to become a very valuable defender of opposing guards.
He needed to add strength when he got to the NBA, but that has been true of several recent Laker prospects. Austin Reaves ultimately bulked up enough to become a key player, and the Lakers are hoping Christie can do the same.
The Lakers are in the middle of a pivotal offseason and are expected to be aggressive. LeBron James is reportedly willing to take a pay cut to allow the Lakers the flexibility they need to seriously upgrade the team. Keeping Christie doesn't necessarily qualify as that sort of upgrade, but there will be a give and take to the way the roster is built this season. The Lakers are going to invest in veterans, but they also want to keep developing the young players they already have, and Christie checks that second box while potentially filling an important role in the rotation as soon as this season.
