Traded to the Dallas Mavericks last offseason and thought to be a key scoring weapon alongside superstar Luka Doncic, Christian Wood saw his role in Dallas decrease drastically as the season went along. As a result, he has decided to pursue a new opportunity with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers have agreed to a 2-year contract with Wood, making the seven-year veteran a focal point in the frontcourt alongside All-Star Anthony Davis.
🚨 BREAKING: Christian Wood has agreed to a 2-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/X1ys2Lfzug
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 6, 2023
Wood, 27, has spent time with a lot of different teams through the years, but he really made a name for himself as a starter with the Houston Rockets for two seasons from 2020-22. There, he averaged 19.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from three-point range.
A stretch big man who can play out on the perimeter, as well as be a shot-blocking factor near the rim defensively, Wood now joins forces with LeBron James and Davis as a key secondary contributor for the Lakers during 2023-24 season.
Christian Wood's fit with Lakers' future
It was quite surprising to see Wood remain a free agent past NBA Summer League, especially since he has found a lot of success on the floor the last few seasons. Since the start of the 2020-21 season, he's averaged 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.9 percent from the floor and over 38 percent from three-point range.
A modern-day big man who can set screens out on the perimeter and then pop out on the wing to knock down long-range shots, Wood can absolutely help a contending team in this league right now. This is why the Lakers showed interest in him throughout the summer. After attempting to land a bigger deal and seeing what other interest existed, Wood ultimately decided to head to Los Angeles.
The Lakers have been searching for more frontcourt depth and Wood should immediately be able to make an impact for them. Whether or not he starts will be the key question, as he did prove to be a factor coming off the bench early on in the 2022-23 season for the Mavs.
Running with two big men in their starting lineup ultimately helped the Lakers win their recent championship in 2020, which is why Wood could very well appear in lineups alongside Davis.
Fresh off their run to the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers will be looking to once again make a deep postseason run. LeBron only has so many years left in what has been one of the most illustrious careers in NBA history, which is why Los Angeles has capitalized winning right now.
Wood will now look to make an instant impact on a roster that also added the likes of Gabe Vincent, Jason Hayes, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish in the offseason.
Follow Us
Subscribe