Lakers Sign Prized Role Player to $32 Million Deal Minutes Into Free Agency

Getty Max Christie of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers made their first move of free agency just minutes after the negotiating period opened on Sunday, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET.

L.A. inked former 2022 second-round pick and backup shooting guard Max Christie to a four-year contract worth $32 million in total, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The final season carries a player option for Christie, who will turn 22 years old during the middle of his third NBA campaign in 2024-25.

Christie averaged 4.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists during his sophomore campaign in the league, per Basketball Reference. The former Michigan State standout is shooting 37.8% from behind the 3-point line on 1.7 attempts per game across his two seasons at the NBA level.

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GettyLeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers’ deal for Christie makes sense, as he is a developmental player the team has invested time in and hopes will become a significant rotational piece on a cheap contract as early as the 2024-25 season. That said, the money L.A. has invested in the young shooting guard could have been used elsewhere in more of a win-now type of move.

LeBron James, who opted out of the final year of his contract over the weekend, is eligible for a three-year max worth more than $160 million. However, the four-time MVP and four-time champion has made known his willingness to accept significantly less money for the right addition in free agency.

“The type of player that James would be willing to make a financial sacrifice for would be an established veteran playmaker such as James Harden or Klay Thompson, or an established big man to play alongside Anthony Davis — such as Jonas Valanciunas,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on Saturday.

Lakers Maintain Maximum Maneuverability Despite Signing Max Christie to Sizable Deal

Getty D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The deal Los Angeles made with Christie doesn’t necessarily impede anything the Lakers might otherwise do. In fact, Christie could be used as an attractive asset in a trade package for a third star to play with James and Davis next year and beyond.

D’Angelo Russell has opted into his nearly $19 million salary, which the Lakers can now use as a foundation for a blockbuster trade. Christie’s approximately $8 million in 2024-25 would bump the tradable figure up to nearly $27 million, and L.A. also has two first-round picks in 2029 and 2031 to sweeten the deal.

One more expiring contract or moderate salary of a young player could get Los Angeles in the game for a handful of quality players who might find their way onto the trade market either this summer or ahead of next season’s trade deadline.

Meanwhile, James’ willingness to take a discount probably would help the team open up the standard mid-level exception (MLE), which carries a salary of roughly $13 million for whomever L.A. can convince to sign it. That exception doesn’t count against the salary cap/luxury tax, therefore Christie’s 2024-25 salary is irrelevant in the context of the MLE.

Valanciunas makes a lot of sense on that kind of deal, as he made only slightly more annually in each of his previous two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. The one-year MLE also feels too low for Thompson, who will certainly get offers of more annual money across more years in free agency, not only from the Golden State Warriors but also from the Orlando Magic and potentially franchises such as the Dallas Mavericks or Philadelphia 76ers.