Max Christie looking like next Lakers breakout candidate

Max Christie had a big night for the Lakers in Summer League action as he’s looking more and more like a legit piece for the future.

Remember when Max Christie decided to leave Tom Izzo and Michigan State after just one season in East Lansing and we all called him crazy?

Well, it looks like that decision has paid off.

The Lakers took a chance on him in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft and he responded by having a quiet rookie year. He averaged 3.1 points and 1.8 rebounds on 42 percent shooting from the floor and 42 percent from deep in 41 games. Not too bad for a rookie second-rounder, but nothing special.

All along, the Lakers’ front office was not interested in adding him to any trade deadline deals. He was surprisingly considered an ‘untouchable’ asset this past season. Which was interesting since he barely played.

But now that he’s entering his second year with the faith of the front office placed in him, Christie is shining in the NBA Summer League.

In his first Summer League game, he led the Lakers with 17 points and shot over 50 percent from the field, and in his second game on Wednesday night, he had an even better showing. He put up 25 points with four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block on over 50 percent shooting. Christie looked like a budding star.

The Lakers have found themselves another 💎 in Max Christie!

25 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 7-13 FG, 4-5 3P, 7-8 FT in the second Summer League game.

He's stepping up and looking super confident out there 👌#LakeShowpic.twitter.com/1UtuC2xVHG

— Matt Evans (@MattEvansLAL) July 6, 2023

I get it, it’s Summer League so a lot of these guys he’s playing against won’t make rosters. However, he’s playing with a lot more confidence and shooting translates.

Through two summer league games, Christie is averaging 21 points and shooting over 50 percent from the floor which is exactly what the Lakers wanted to see. He’s playing like the player they believed he would become when they drafted him at No. 35 overall.

A lot of Laker fans are excited about Christie, and rightfully so. They’re begging Darvin Ham to use him more and they believe that he could be this year’s Austin Reaves-like breakout candidate (oh, and there are also ridiculous comparisons being made to Kobe Bryant).

Spartan fans are rooting hard for this kid.