Despite being drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers, Max Christie rose from a rookie averaging 3.1 points to a year-three rising star posting double digits on his new team, the Dallas Mavericks. Doing this in a championship environment is an obstacle in its own, but Christie did his best and eventually signed a four-year, $32 million contract in Los Angeles.
Two summers after being drafted, Christie was joined in the NBA by his younger brother, Cam, who played for the LA Clippers across town. Similarly, he was drafted in the second round, but eleven picks later.
His rookie season, 2024-25, was also difficult, as he rarely played and averaged only 1.4 points. Yet, the challenges he encountered, being on a contender, were similar to those faced by his brother in terms of how the opportunities are.
The Minnesota product had to work in the G League, where he dominated as a rookie, and is finally showing his growth on the Clippers’ 2-0 summer league squad. This is a sight to see, as his movement, three-point shooting, and array of moves inside the paint appear remarkably similar to those of his older brother, demonstrating that with a fair chance, he can be just as good, if not better.
Cam Christie’s 2025 summer league campaign thus far has shown similar qualities to his rising-star brother, Max, on the Dallas Mavericks
Since being drafted, executive Lawrence Frank has evidently worked closely with Cam Christie and spoke openly about what he needs to improve, specifically consistency. This will land him his best opportunity in the NBA, and it could be for a ring with the LA Clippers, if he makes the rookie-to-sophomore jump.
Lawrence Frank says that Cam Christie is a streaky shooter. Needs to be more consistent.
— Law Murray 🎡 (@LawMurrayTheNU) May 5, 2025
As of late, Christie is looking great in the summer league. In game one against the Houston Rockets, the two-way wing dropped 21 points, grabbed six rebounds, and recorded two steals, shooting 6-12 from the field and 3-9 from distance. Not much changed in his second showcase, against the Milwaukee Bucks, as he scored 21, once again, with splits of 6-14 from the floor and 3-6 from beyond the arc.
Given Christie’s one-year progress, what must change is his minutes in the rotation during the regular season. He is just as talented as his brother and can be better if Tyronn Lue allows him to play a set amount of minutes for a stretch of games for evaluation purposes.
He will inevitably live out his basketball dreams in Inglewood, California, dominating as he is in the summer league. Otherwise, the front office will falsely declare him as unproven, like Brandon Boston Jr., and will be forced to watch him become a star elsewhere.