Austin Reaves praised Max Christie’s ‘phenomenal’ defense vs. Wolves in preseason opener

Max Christie opened his third season with a bang, showing out in a big way for the Lakers in their preseason opener and drawing the praise of teammate Austin Reaves.

For a third-year player who has had very little on-court impact so far in his career, Max Christie is entering this season with a fair amount of expectation.

Part of that comes from the contract the Lakers handed him this summer. A four-year, $32-million deal comes with an inherent assumption of contribution.