3 reasons why Max Christie is a better fit on the Lakers bench than in the starting lineup

As one of the most veteran-laden teams in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers tend to be a bit predictable. Lakers fans know what they're going to get most nights from Anthony Davis and LeBron James, and even players like Rui Hachimura and the recently-acquired Dorian Finney-Smith tend to be pretty consistent in what they bring to the table.

Austin Reaves has reached a new level in the past week or two, and Lakers fans are hoping he can sustain it all the way through the postseason. If he does, that leaves two wild cards that are capable of lifting the Lakers or sinking them on any given night: rookie Dalton Knecht, who at this point of his career is capable of dropping 37 points one game and going scoreless the next, and Max Christie, who in his third year has looked more and more comfortable while playing nearly the twice the minutes per game that he did in his first two seasons.

We've written about Knecht before, both in terms of his Rookie of the Year odds and his key contributions when the Lakers were shorthanded, but it's time for Christie to get some shine. Since Dec. 23, the former Michigan State Spartan has gone off, with an average 33 minutes and 15 points per game. Christie has shot over 50 percent from the floor during that period and over 44 percent from three, while nearly going perfect from the free throw line. He's really making a case to be part of the starting lineup, but here are three reasons that it's not his time yet.

1. Max Christie's scoring is more valuable as part of the Lakers' bench unit

Offense is not a problem for the Lakers' starting lineup, not with LeBron, AD and Reaves taking up nearly all of the usage. The Lakers have had a thin bench this year though, and with D'Angelo Russell now gone to Brooklyn in the trade for Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, there's a need for more scoring when the stars get a rest.

Christie and Knecht have the potential to be a potent 1-2 punch off the bench, especially because neither has even scratched the surface of their potential yet. Besides, being a bench player doesn't mean being limited in minutes, because JJ Redick knows that he only has so many useful players. With Russell gone and players like Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish out of favor, Christie can still average 30 minutes a game coming off the bench.

Finney-Smith is still getting his sea legs under him since joining the team a week ago, but once he does, he's a better fit for L.A.'s starting lineup due to his length and defensive acumen. The nine-year vet has two inches and 30 pounds on Christie, and the biggest reason why the Lakers traded for him is because they needed to become physically tougher and more defensively sound. LeBron and Reaves don't play much defense, so Redick needs someone to complement Davis.

2. The Lakers probably aren't done trading yet

There's still nearly a month until the trade deadline, and you can bet that general manager Rob Pelinka is still on the lookout for a major piece that could upgrade this roster. Jimmy Butler recently became available, and though we don't think he'd be a good fit for a number of reasons, there are other big names on the market that could make more sense.

Early in the year, Christie was struggling to find his place on this team. He only scored more than eight points once in the team's first 14 games, and he even had a few games where he played less than five minutes. That's all changed recently, and his increased confidence has directly correlated with a deserved increase in playing time.

Young players crave consistency, and putting Christie into the starting lineup only to drop him back to the bench if the Lakers trade for Zach LaVine, Brandon Ingram or any other established player would be doing him a disservice. For the sake of Christie's development, Redick should ensure that he's not tasked with doing too much too soon, nor is he put in a position where he could lose his spot through no fault of his own.

3. Max Christie needs to show that he can do this over the long haul

Christie has had an outstanding seven-game stretch, but the season is 82 games long. NBA fans have seen instances of players getting hot before, only to come back to earth when asked to do it over the course of an entire season. The problem for the Lakers is if they put more on Christie's plate and he falters, it's going to severely cost the team in the Western Conference standings.

Christie is only 21, so for Lakers fans to see him growing right before our eyes is huge. There's no telling what he could become in the next few months, or even over the course of his contract, which runs at least two more seasons.

The Lakers have a relatively light stretch coming up in the next two weeks, with dates against the Luka- and Kyrie-less Mavs, the 7-27 Hornets, the fire sale Nets and the historically horrendous Wizards. Two games against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the (possibly) post-Butler Heat and the surprisingly feisty Clippers keep it from being a total cakewalk, but if the Lakers are serious about staying in play for a top-four seed, this is a stretch that they need to dominate.

Christie will have ample opportunity to prove himself against these teams. Let's see if he can continue his run of superb play for another couple weeks, then we can revisit this conversation.