After two months of consideration, conversations, and background checks, the Los Angeles Lakers finally came to terms with free-agent center Christian Wood.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers and Wood agreed to a two-year, $5.7 million veteran minimum contract with the second year as a player option. He’ll earn about $2.71 million in 2023-24. The Lakers made it official on Wednesday.

“It’s always been my dream to be a laker,” the Long Beach native tweeted.

Wood brings the Lakers' roster to 14 players (not counting the three rookies on two-way contracts). They'll enter training camp with a spot open for flexibility down the line.

Wood, soon to be 28, averaged 16.6 points (37.6% from 3) and 7.3 rebounds for the Dallas Mavericks last season but was largely relegated to a bench role — which he was not happy about, as evidenced by his statement about signing in Los Angeles.

In the two seasons prior, with the Houston Rockets, Wood put up 19.1 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting 38.4% from 3. Quality production, no doubt.

The fit is easy to envision. Wood's pick-and-pop ability will nicely blend with the playmaking skills of LeBron James, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Gabe Vincent. In July, Rob Pelinka revealed that Anthony Davis — who exclusively played center in 2022-23 — wants the Lakers to deploy more two-big lineups this coming season. Wood's ability to stretch the floor will provide ample spacing for AD and LeBron. Wood can help carry the scoring load on shorthanded nights. The Lakers now boast intriguing frontcourt versatility with Davis, LeBron, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Taurean Prince. They're expecting to begin the season starting AD, LeBron, and Rui (on a new $51 million deal), per The Athletic.

“Dimensionalizing the skills at [center] would be important,” Pelinka said at Summer League. “So we don’t want to sign someone who replicates the skills that Jaxson Hayes has. So if we can diversify the big position and have different looks, that would be good.”

Wood — coming off a $41 million contract — should be motivated to rebuild his value. Ideally, he'll become the latest player to alter his perception in the Lakers program (see: Malik Monk, Dennis Schroder, Dwight Howard). The lights are brighter in Los Angeles, and Darvin Ham and LeBron are not messing around. (Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, sort of bought into what Ham was selling but never enthusiastically embraced his “realignment“.) As Wood noted in his statement, he developed a relationship with Ham during his brief stint in 2018-19 with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Lakers are taking a high-upside, calculated risk. Ham's Lakers have forged a culture of selflessness and defensive intensity. Their improved cohesion and ramped-up grittiness fueled their post-deadline turnaround last season. Familiar faces like Wenyen Gabriel, Tristan Thompson, or JaVale McGee, or a beloved locker room figure and stout rim protector like Bismack Biyombo — whom the Lakers considered — would have been the safer play.

Instead, the Lakers capped off a productive summer by adding the most talented player left on the market who carries longstanding defensive and character concerns. Wood's played for seven franchises in seven years. The only team he's been a part of that finished above .500 — those Bucks — waived him in March. There's a reason he was available in September.

Wood, with a 7'3 wingspan, is a solid rebounder who can be a decent rim protector when he's in the right spot. But, there are likely going to be nights when Vanderbilt, Hayes, and/or small-ball lineups make more sense. How is Wood going to respond? (Another concern is Wood/Davis/James lineups, as LeBron struggles to space the floor and hang with athletic 3s at this stage of his career.)

The Lakers know all of this. They're betting on their vets, coaches, and culture, as well as Wood's sheer talent and personal incentives. If Wood buys into a 20-ish minute-per-game sub role and commits to defense — he won't see the floor if he doesn't — then the Lakers have meaningfully raised their ceiling. If things go south, Wood could quickly become an unwanted distraction. Unlike Westbrook, at least, he'll be easy to part with, if need be.