How Much Can Max Christie Improve the Lakers? What about a healthy Vanderbilt and Vincent?

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

Among the more confounding of Darvin Ham's habits in the mind of many Lakers fans was his unwillingness to give steady minutes to Max Christie, even if the team seemed to need some of his skill set at different points throughout the season.

Well, having signed an four-year, $32 million contract this offseason, Christie is going to play.

Now it's a matter of whether new coach JJ Redick is more willing to deploy Christie without reservation. And more than just giving him a consistent role and not penalizing him for whatever it was Ham saw last year (Darvin never really got into depth about it), will Redick be able to optimize Christie? Getting the most he can from him as a player while mitigating his weaknesses?

If so, in many ways Christie would then become like a free agent acquisition. Someone essentially not available to them last year, who makes a big contribution without giving up existing talent. Obviously Christie isn't a summer signing—nobody on this roster is, as of now—but that would be the effect. It's something, for that matter, the Lakers are hoping for with Jared Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, as well. Two guys that were, for all intents and purposes, unavailable to the team last year.

So between internal improvement and the arrival of Redick, where does this team stand (assuming a little bit of injury luck)? Does all of this point to a scenario where the Lakers really are better off being patient now rather than pushing for a summer trade under very suboptimal circumstances?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Christie gets a new deal. Will he get new opportunities?

SEGMENT 2: The Lakers are hoping Christie is just one of a few returning players who give the team MUCH more this season.

SEGMENT 3: Is Christie part of the reason the Lakers are smart to wait to make a deal?

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