JJ Redick and LeBron James praised Cam Reddish after the Pistons game

Despite all the hopes and promises that Max Christie has put into this season, one could hardly have imagined a worse start to the season.

When Christie received the first regular rotation minutes of his career, he appeared lost on the floor. Even his 3-point shooting, an area in which he has excelled throughout his career, has been non-existent, as he shoots just 3-13 from distance this year.

After another uninspiring first-half stint against the Pistons on Monday, head coach JJ Redick finally made a change. The much-maligned Cam Reddish was chosen to replace Christie and provided the necessary spark.

Although he didn’t score on the night, his defense was a welcome addition to a team that had basically none of it on the field. Even though the Lakers couldn’t avoid an embarrassing loss to the Pistons, Reddish came out of the loss well.

After the game, Redick talked about wanting that defensive impact as the impetus for reaching out to him. But was this a one-game change or a more permanent change to the rotation?

“He definitely earned some trust tonight,” Redick said. “But of course we will evaluate tomorrow and see what Wednesday looks like.”

The appeal of Reddish on this Lakers roster is what he can do defensively and athletically. The quartet of D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent and Christie is not a particularly athletic group.

Furthermore, only Christie at his best has the size and defensive prowess to make an impact, and he is still far from his best at the moment. It’s hard to argue against turning to Reddish in the rotation, which is a huge testament to how much Christie has struggled this year.

At the same time, Reddish impressed. For all his flaws, most of them offensive, he still has plenty of skill defensively.

“Cam was great tonight,” LeBron James said after the game. “He did exactly what was asked of him. He came in and defended at a high level. He was great.”

The problems for Cam usually come when he can’t contribute defensively and teams start to challenge him to be an impactful player offensively. But considering how little impact Christie currently has on the court, there’s little argument for keeping him in the rotation other than hoping he can reach his potential at some point.

Right now, the Lakers are in a tough spot. But don’t be surprised if Redick, in need of players who can contribute on defense, turns to Reddish again to complete the road trip against the Grizzlies.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.