Realistic expectations for Los Angeles Lakers rookie Max Christie
By Jonny Camer
It’s been an exciting offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers. There are a ton of new faces for new head coach Darvin Ham to use. Most of these new faces were added via free agency.
That is all except the Lakers’ lone draft selection, Michigan State guard Max Christie. What should we expect out of the Lakers’ first draft selection since Talen Horton-Tucker?
Realistic Expectations for Lakers rookie Max Christie:
Some Lakers fans might’ve been quite disappointed in the guard’s Summer League performance. He struggled to get into a rhythm, shooting an underwhelming 27.4% from the field and 20% from three.
While it didn’t shock this writer that Christie got off to a slow start, some fans are already writing off the former Spartan. Christie was seen coming out of college as a project piece that needed to develop. However, he could be a great player in this league if developed properly.
Christie needs time to work with the Lakers coaching staff to develop his jumper. However, the potential seems to be there. In college and even in Summer League, you could see the raw potential in his scoring abilities.
The development of his shot will ultimately determine whether or not he has a long-term impact on this team. If he can work on his craft like former Laker Lonzo Ball and develop that shot, we could see one heck of a player. However, if the shot doesn’t progress the way the team wants it to, he could be shut down in the next few years.
While this may seem grim, Lakers fans shouldn’t fret just yet. The guard likely will not be coming in and asked to play a significant role immediately. This will allow him to work with coaches and develop aspects of his games.
The expectations this writer has for Christie this season may disappoint some. I see him playing a 10 MPG role to start the season, and as the season goes on and he develops, there could be increased playing time.
While you may not see a 40-point game from the 19-year-old, you could see a nice 15-20 point game every once in a while. The expectations for Christie should be mild. He’ll come in and flash some of his potential but don’t expect him to be in the rookie of the year race.
Christie’s development is going to take some time. However, if the Los Angeles Lakers can hone the potential, he could be a scary player in this league. Lakers fans should be excited to see what their lone draft selection can do.