Lakers 20-Year-Old Summer Star Could ‘Follow Austin Reaves’ Footsteps’ Next Season

The Los Angeles Lakers could get a really good performance from NBA summer league star Max Christie. The young guard was a dominant force on the basketball court in the last two weeks and he has a real chance to join the Lakers as a regular-season player.

A league source said that young Christie could be the next Austin Reaves.

“He’s exciting. There’s excitement that he could follow Austin Reaves’ footsteps, what he did the last couple of years,” the source told Heavy.

Reaves got a lot of attention last season. He averaged 13.0 points in 64 games with the Lakers despite the fact that he went undrafted.

Christie is really excited about the opportunity he was given. “The opportunity is going to be there,” the young guard told Heavy Sports. He is giving serious preseason hype and NBA analysts have high expectations for him.

Lakers could fit the summer league star in their roster

Christie is really confident about his future in the NBA. He knows how to grab an opportunity when he sees one.

“I’m just trying to be confident and attack when I have the ball in my hands,” Christie said.  “I’ve always had that as part of my game, I have had it since high school. And now this is an opportunity for me to sort of show it on an NBA level. Given that opportunity, I’m just trying to use it to the best of my advantage and just attack.”

The Lakers could use Christie’s frame. He entered the Summer League program measuring 190, but he is probably 200 or 205 at the moment.

“I was at home for most of the time, but I’ve just been working out every single day,” he said. “Whether that’s at home or in LA, I just put in the work every day. That’s all it really is. And so I think I’m sort of reaping the benefits of that and I don’t think anything’s happening by accident.”

The Lakers have a lot of players at this position. Darvin Ham wants him to show true leadership skills and young Christie will do his best.

MAX CHRISTIE. 😤

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— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 8, 2023

“(The Lakers) have been in contact all along, of course,” Christie said. “They let me know what is expected and I am just trying to deliver on that, or do more, exceed it.”