Doug Christie? Really?

by Steve Perrin on Jan 31, 2007 1:33 PM PST in News Comment 9 comments

The Clippers signed Doug Christie to a 10 day contract today. Thanks to Citizen mp for the head's up in the Diaries. He will apparently be in uniform for the Bulls game tonight. (Christie - not mp.)

When the LA Times reported this morning that the Clippers were considering "signing an experienced wing player" who "probably would be someone who has not been on a roster this season" I immediately thought about Lamond Murray and got worried. I went to the Hoops Hype Free Agency page, and glanced through the lists of threes and fours. When I saw Christie's name, I paused a moment. (To be fair, I also paused at Penny and Spree - these are some big names.)

Full disclosure: I went to Pepperdine. I saw Christie play his first collegiate game - it must have been November 1989. He took the opening tip straight in for a jam. He was clearly the most talented player I'd ever seen at Pepperdine, and I saw Dennis Johnson.

Four LA area college players were drafted in the first round in 1992: Harold Miner (12), Christie (17), Tracy Murray (18) and Don MacLean (19). I told anyone that would listen that Christie would be the best pro of the four. They didn't tend to believe me. Come to think of it, it will be interesting to see what Westphal (Pepperdine coach, though long after Christie's time) and MacLean have to say before the game on Prime Ticket tonight.

Most people have forgotten, but when Christie first joined the NBA with the Lakers, he was a high-flyer. After disappointing stays with the Lakers and Knicks, he found a home with the Raptors, where he averaged 16.5 points in 97-98. Then, similar to Ron Harper after he left the Clippers, he re-invented himself as a defensive stopper and all-around player during four great years in Sacramento. He was the 'glue guy' for those Kings teams, though he barely averaged double figures over his Kings career.

He's smart, he's a good defender, he's a career 35.5% shooter on threes, and he says he's in the best shape of his life. His last couple years in the NBA the first time around he was hampered by plantar fasciitis, a condition ClipsNation is now more familiar with.

It's only a 10 day contract, right? Besides, he's young (6 whole months younger than Sam Cassell).

I can't wait to see what the Sports Guy has to say about this. He LOVES the Christie's.

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Christie and Mobley were traded for each other

two years ago.

There has to be a reason why Doug went unsigned until now.

Perhaps he wanted to retire and spend more time with his wife, with whom he is very close (I can relate, so I won't be on to pile on their relationship).

It seems that they had high hopes for their video based on the pop up ads that keep, well, popping up.

I think this guy could give the Clips 10 good minutes per night, but he seems to be the kind of guy who Dunleavy will love.

If that is the case, this could be a real speed bump in the "Play Corey" campaign.

by mp on Jan 31, 2007 1:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

If we're looking for guys traded for Cat...

How about this kid McGrady? I hear he's pretty good.

When he retired, he simply wasn't healthy (or that's how the story goes). Then in August came this 'press release' (actually released by the Christie's PR firm), but no one was interested.

I thought at the time that he would make more sense as a mid-season pick up, rather than taking a roster spot from a young guy. Most GM's must have felt the same.

by Steve Perrin on Jan 31, 2007 2:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

horribly written release

not that I'm Hemingway or anything, but come on.

by mp on Jan 31, 2007 4:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

funny, huh?

I almost posted about it back in August when I saw it, but there wasn't a Clippers angle. The funniest part was how some websites treated it as 'news.' I think I first came across it on Hoops Hype, and I thought, "What the heck is this?"

by Steve Perrin on Jan 31, 2007 5:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

www.jackiechristie.com

this is the greatest website ever. EVER.
the FSM itself could not create nor envision anything to match its splendor.

i especially like that it opens straight to the site when you click the link on the READ link of the "press release".

Love it love it, so so love it.

by timmyt on Jan 31, 2007 8:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Christie

Maybe the Clips can sign his buddy Rick Fox!

by Googs on Feb 1, 2007 12:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

It is pretty funny...

having Christie in Staples Center on the home team. Well, the other home team anyway. Of course the Kings do play at Staples.

Doug's not lacking in confidence. When asked what he brings to the Clippers, he said:

I think I bring everything to the table - offense, defense, passing and obviously the mental part of what it means to be a professional.

Obviously. No wonder you got signed to a 10 day contract like some guy playing for the Idaho Stampede!

by Steve Perrin on Feb 1, 2007 1:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i predict that Christie makes the team

If Doug Christie can help this team then i don't care if the woman he's married to is crazy. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that Doug Christie still has enough left in the tank to not only make this team for the season but can be a steady contributor for this Clipper team. Right now these Clippers could sure use a defensive versatile swing man like a Doug Christie. Mobley is logging too many minutes and Maggette bandaged leg doesn't look very encouraging.

by keepgoing748 on Feb 2, 2007 1:34 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think you're right...

I don't think you bring in Doug Christie and then cut him 10 days later, after 4 games. In theory, he's supposed to be a locker room presence at a minimum, so if he does get cut loose, I think it will be because of chemistry more than anything else.

But as the sponsor of the Keep Corey, Play Corey petition, I'm not pleased. Christie is in many ways the anti-Corey - defense first, great help defender, under control. The kind of guy MDSr LOVES.

by Steve Perrin on Feb 2, 2007 9:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs