Pelinka thinks Christie can help Lakers now and later
How quickly will Max Christie help the Lakers?
It might not seem fair to put a 19-year-old on the spot, but as the Lakers prepare to enter the 2022-23 season likely with three maximum contract players and an expectation that they will have one of the highest payrolls in the NBA, every roster spot counts. General manager Rob Pelinka used the word “develop” or “development” or “developmental” nine times in his comments after the draft, but he still seemed to understand that time is of the essence in turning Christie into a useful player for next season.
At a lean 190 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame, Pelinka said the plan is to bring Christie in as soon as possible to get him working with the Lakers' strength staff. “He likes the weight room,” Pelinka mentioned as an aside, noting that he has to get stronger.
But the Lakers — who have had success in the middle of the draft under the current front office — didn't want to mess up the No. 35 pick with desperation. Pelinka said the front office and scouting department were “unanimous” in their support for picking Christie, a player they believe can help them now and later.
“I think the wrong thing to do in the draft is to just say, `We need to get this guy who can play for us right now.' That's when you can make big mistakes,” Pelinka said. “We wanted to take the player that we thought could help our team in the current present time but really develop into something special. And we think Max Christie has that DNA.”
The Lakers didn't have a pick for much of the predraft process, which profoundly limited them from working out players in Christie's draft range in L.A. But they liked what they saw from the former McDonald's All-American and Michigan State product at the NBA Combine last month in Chicago, and an interview pushed Christie's stock up on their board.
Christie registered surprise: The Chicago interview was the only time he met with the Lakers before draft night on Thursday. But it made an impression with Pelinka, Kurt Rambis, Joey Buss and Jesse Buss.
“He's an incredibly thoughtful kid, high character, raised well,” Pelinka said. “And he's going to put in the work to be great. We project him as a guy that has the talent to be a starter in the NBA, and we're going to put in the work to put him on that path.”
Statistically, Christie seems early on in that particular journey. He played a lot of minutes for the Spartans, but he was not the knockdown shooter (31.2% from 3-point range) he was projected to be, averaging 9.3 points per game. He had moments when he struggled to compete physically with his wiry build in the Big Ten which Pelinka called “a man's league” (having played in it himself).
But the Lakers clearly don't doubt Christie's desire to improve. Christie said himself that with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and good length in the backcourt, he thinks defense could be one of his best traits. That hits upon something new coach Darvin Ham will ask for this coming season, and Pelinka thinks Christie could guard up to three positions.
“I think that defense all just comes down to effort and if I'm willing to put the time and effort in on that side of the floor I think I'll just continually get better as I get more into the NBA season,” Christie said. “I think as I continue, I'll be able to defend multiple guys up in the league.”
Picking Christie also represents the confidence the Lakers have in returning assistant coach Phil Handy and new assistant Chris Jent, who Pelinka said will help bring Christie along hopefully in the way that Austin Reaves was able to develop last season. But Pelinka is also reluctant to put a timeline on it: “I can't really predict how someone's gonna grow and fill out. But he's got a great frame, a great basketball set of skills, and I think he'll develop quickly.”
A few other topics Pelinka hit on Thursday night: WESTBROOK'S STATUS » It's no secret things are strained with Russell Westbrook and the Lakers after a first season that didn't go well. It's widely acknowledged that the Lakers could be willing to trade the L.A. native and former MVP for the right deal after the triumvirate with LeBron James and Anthony Davis failed to make the playoffs. But recently, Pelinka and Ham have spoken as if they expect Westbrook to return — though Pelinka said Thursday that Westbrook had not indicated that he will definitively exercise his $47.1 million contract option (it's widely expected he will before free agency begins).
But Pelinka also said that he, Westbrook and Ham have spoken about next season on several occasions and that Westbrook seems open to what next year's team could look like.
“And he's ready to embrace the philosophy of defensefirst as well, and he's made that clear to Darvin and me if he chooses to come back,” Pelinka said. “But he hasn't given a final decision on that, and he has more days to figure all that out with his family. But if he comes back, he will be embraced here with open arms, and I want to put a path in front of him to have a successful season.”
NEW TWO-WAY CONTRACT PLAYERS » The Lakers snatched up Vanderbilt's Scotty Pippen Jr. (a Sierra Canyon High product and the son of Bulls legend Scottie Pippen) and Syracuse's Cole Swider on two-way contract deals. Both worked out recently for the team.
Of Pippen, Pelinka said he thought the 6-2 guard was one of the most competitive prospects the team hosted during workouts, taking after his father in his defensive tenacity: “I think he just really changes the complexity of camp because I know he's going to compete for a position and play hard.”
Swider might be a player who can help the Lakers during the season, Pelinka said, owing to his tremendous shooting ability. Swider showed in his workouts that he can be an effective shooter on the move and cut off-ball for looks.