Lakers select Michigan State's Max Christie in NBA draft

The Lakers took the first steps toward rebuilding their roster Thursday, trading into the NBA draft and selecting Michigan State’s Max Christie with the No. 35 pick.

The team sent cash and a 2028 second-round pick to Orlando earlier in the day to acquire the pick. The pick will be the better of the Lakers’ or the Washington Wizards’ pick, which the team acquired last year in the Russell Westbrook trade.

Christie started in all 35 games he played for Michigan State last year, averaging 9.3 points. He was an All-American in high school in suburban Chicago.

In his one year at Michigan State, Christie struggled to consistently shoot, though he projects as a 3-and-D wing.

“Another 35th pick from Michigan State,” Draymond Green tweeted. “History says he’s going to be an All-Star.”

Green was picked 35th in the 2012 draft.

“It’s amazing. It’s surreal.,” Christie told reporters in New York. “LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony — the list goes on. A bunch of great names, a bunch of great players on the Lakers team. I think I can learn a lot and get a lot better in that organization.”

In addition to drafting Christie, the Lakers also signed Syracuse guard Cole Swider and Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr. to two-way contracts, a source told the Los Angeles Times.

Swider, who worked out twice for the Lakers, shot 41.4% on more than six three-point attempts per game last year. He spent the first three years of his college career at Vanderbilt.

Pippen, son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, averaged more than 20 points per game in his sophomore and junior seasons at Vanderbilt. He played high school basketball for Chatsworth Sierra Canyon for two seasons.

The selection of Christie comes amidst healthy speculation about the Lakers and a possible partnership with All-Star Kyrie Irving.