If they originally had no draft choice in 2022, the Lakers still managed to select a player. The move also made Magic Johnson react recently, the Hall of Famer giving his frank opinion on the nugget selected by the 2020 champion.
And Kyrie Irving finally decided to let them down, a real disappointment following dreaming for a few days, however, everything is not to be thrown away for the Lakers as free agency approaches. Firstly, a key roster member has said they want to come back next year, to the delight of the franchise with 17 champion banners. On the other hand, they managed to make a small move in the draft, recovering a pick at the start of the second round just before the edition.
In this case, the choice of the front office of the Pourpres et Ors fell on the young Max Christie, selected in 35th position. The wingman (1m98, 86 kilos) has a seemingly clear mission: to integrate in the manner of Austin Reaves, a nice surprise from last year despite his non-drafted status. Not an obvious mission, but the rookie seems to enjoy the trust of none other than Magic Johnson. The legend of the Lakers might not hide his enthusiasm regarding him:
Magic Johnson won over by Max Christie’s draft
I’m excited regarding the @Lakers draft pick MSU’s Max Christie! He can play multiple positions, is an excellent defender, has a high basketball IQ, and has a beautiful jump shot. Max just needs to get stronger and work on his ball handling.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 28, 2022
I’m excited regarding Max Christie’s draft by the Lakers, out of MSU! He can play in several positions, is an excellent defender, he has a high basketball IQ and a good jumpshot. Max just needs to get stronger and work on his ball-handling.
Note that the Hall of Famer may not be very objective on this point, since he and the new nugget angelino both come from Michigan State college. The connection is there.
However, it can also mean that he was able to observe him closely during his journey with the Spartans, and that he actually knows his profile well. In 35 games, Christie averaged just over 9 points and 3 rebounds in 2021-22. His shot is still deficient, to the point of being humiliated on the evening of his draft, but his 31.7% behind the arc doesn’t say it all. He will have time to develop it, and beyond that, the highlights show that the guy has a lot of strings to his bow:
Max Christie ????
— The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) June 24, 2022
Magic Johnson is won over by Max Christie’s draft to the Lakers, convinced that the rookie will be very useful to them next year. If he can follow an Austin Reaves trajectory, we are sure that the Purples and Golds will see it very well.
