Max Christie reflects on challenging 2023-24 season with Darvin Ham, Lakers

The 2023-24 season was one of the more challenging in recent memory for the Los Angeles Lakers. 47 wins, the NBA Cup, and a postseason appearance would be considered a success for most, but context is crucial and it paints a less rewarding picture for Los Angeles.

One of the players who epitomized the adversity that the Lakers struggled to overcome was second-year shooting guard Max Christie.

Christie entered his second season with high hopes after shooting 41.9 percent from beyond the arc as a rookie. Unfortunately, former head coach Darvin Ham gave the former Michigan State Spartans star just 14.1 minutes per game across 67 appearances.

In a recent interview with Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Christie was candid about his 2023-24 experience and explained that he just wanted to contribute in any way he could.

"I thought I did a really good job, all year long, of just controlling what I could control. Which was my attitude, my work ethic, being a great teammate. And then even when I did get out there, just trying to play as hard as I can and help the team."

Christie continued, explaining how hard he worked behind the scenes to make sure that 2023-24 wouldn't be a lost season.

"I did a lot of work behind the scenes. I wanted to do a lot of extra work. I still tried to help out the team, even trying to ask to be on the scout team to get as many reps as I can instead of kind of just sitting and watching. I was just trying to do everything I could just to kind of get reps. Overall, I think it was a really good season for me. It was a huge growth season for me."

That's an incredibly level-headed response from a 21-year-old player who could've been broken by an absence of ideal playing time, but has instead utilized his resources to hone his craft.

Lakers guard Max Christie keeping a level head despite 2023-24 adversity

Christie has thus far established himself as a high-quality shooter, which should help him as he aspires to secure a more consistent role in 2024-25. Between his first two NBA seasons, he shot 37.8 percent from beyond the arc and 80.6 percent at the free throw line.

The sample sizes are admittedly limited in both of those areas, but 180 three-point field goal attempts and 62 free throws offer some level of insight into what he's capable of.

Defensively, Christie played hard and has the physical tools to develop into a high-level player on that end of the floor. Standing at 6'5" and 190 pounds with a near 6'9" wingspan, he has the height and length to pick up players at all three perimeter positions.

Adding some bulk to his frame would help him against stronger players when he's tasked with switching on defense, but at 21 years of age, there's ample time for him to do so.

Los Angeles clearly believes that Christie is capable of more than what he showed during Ham's tenure as head coach. Despite its financial limitations, it re-signed the former McDonald's All-American to a four-year, $32 million contract earlier this offseason.

With Christie now paid like a nightly inclusion in the rotation, it stands to reason that first-year head coach JJ Redick intends to utilize him.

The addition of Redick, a head coach who plans to emphasize the three-point shot, is certainly an encouraging sign for Christie. This past season, the three-ball was devalued to the point that Los Angeles overlooked its top-10 placement in three-point field goal percentage by ranking 28th in attempts.

Considering how hard Christie has worked to get to this point, and how heavily the Lakers have invested in his upside, it's safe to assume that opportunity will exist for him to break out in 2024-25.