Despite not having many opportunities to perform in the past two seasons, the Lakers still gave Christie a four-year, $32 million contract extension, which surprised many. In most people's eyes, the Lakers gave Christie too much of a contract, just as he did to re-sign Talen · Tucker.
Christie, who is the person involved, is confident that he will be aiming for more playing time than he did last season. The Lakers' number one choice at the point guard position is Reaves, followed by three backup point guards such as Christie, Kneckett, and Bronny. If playing as a dual point guard, Vincent and Schifino could also play alongside Russell.
Despite completing the contract extension, Christie is under a lot of competitive pressure. 'I want to come back, we're on good momentum, with James and Davis in charge, and a new coaching staff, and I like them and get along very well with them. I'm excited to be back with the Lakers before free agency opens and I'm excited to continue the season here. Christie said.
Christie averaged 3.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during his rookie season. In the 2023-24 season, Christie played in 67 games, averaging 14.1 minutes per game, scoring 4.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks, shooting 42.7% from the field, 35.6% from three-point range, and 78.3% from the free throw line.
Objectively speaking, Christie did not show outstanding characteristics in the first two seasons, he was not a defensive expert, his three-point level was average, his breakthrough ability was not very strong, and he was not good at organizing offense. Christie knows everything, but she's just not proficient.
He has some potential, but it is unknown what he can develop into in the future, and the key is whether the Lakers will give him enough time to play and grow. Christie is still confident about the new season, saying: "The most important thing is to be mentally and confident, which is a by-product of my efforts all summer. I think I've got the skill to shoot threes, I'm physically strong enough on the defensive end and most importantly I'm confident and I'm excited to play again. ”
Christie is super confident and sees himself as an all-around warrior with skills, three-pointers, and defense. Anyone can say bold words, the key is to see whether you have real ability. ESPN's Winderhorst thinks the Lakers will reuse Christie for the upcoming season: "Their big deal is to sign Christie. They signed Christie with that contract to give him a lot of playing time. So, they're going to use Reeves, they're going to use Christie. ”
Christie is only 21 years old at the moment, and if he can transform into a consistent firepower point at the shooting guard position and improve on the defensive end, it will really help the Lakers.
The Lakers need Christie to defend well, and he can only get more playing time if he works on this aspect. The Lakers have defensive giants like Bushy Eyebrows on the inside, and a healthy Vanderbilt is also a defensive master. But on the guard line, the Lakers lack defensive masters, Reaves and Russell are shortcomings in defense, and Vincent works hard enough defensively, but he is not a defensive master. Knecht, Schifino and Bronny are also not known for their defensive skills.
The Lakers won the championship in 2020, but they have three outside defense masters: Pope, Danny · Green and Caruso. So, if Christie wants to prove his worth or get more playing time, he has to show his strengths, and playing on the defensive end first is the best way to do that.
Last season, the Lakers ranked 21st in restricted area scoring, 27th in fast-break defense, and 28th in three-point shooting. According to Christie, he is strong enough on the defensive end. Christie is young and energetic, and the Lakers have given him a big contract, can he get a corresponding return?