The Dallas Mavericks' acquisition of Christian Wood was starting to really pay off when he finally moved to the starting lineup in mid-December. Wood was on a roll, and he was starting to impact the game defensively in a way that would make head coach Jason Kidd proud. However, Wood unfortunately injured his thumb on January 18, which puts a damper on what had been such a strong stretch from the scoring center.
Now, with Luka Doncic out injured and the NBA trade deadline approaching, questions about the Mavs' trade strategy loom ever so largely once more. This is especially the case after the Mavs expect Wood to be out for another week. In fact, if the Mavs fail to come to terms with Wood on a contract extension, some view a trade that sends the 27-year old out of Dallas not even a year after landing with the team as a possibility.
According to Marc Stein, the Mavs could soon revisit a potential Christian Wood trade lest they run into the same situation they faced with Jalen Brunson last year. The Mavs could end up dealing him instead of dealing with the uncertainty that comes with his looming free agency should they fail to find an agreement on a new contract.
It'll be a difficult sell for the Mavs, however, both to their superstar Luka Doncic and their fanbase, if they trade away Wood. Before he injured his thumb, Wood had been playing at an incredible level, proving himself as a worthy running mate to the Slovenian superstar.
Moreover, Christian Wood is one of the few players in the roster who is a dynamic offensive weapon – instead of trading these kinds of players away, they need more of them if they were to continue climbing the Western Conference standings. The Mavs, despite their reported unwillingness, might have to pony up what Wood wants lest they run the risk of upsetting Doncic.
Nevertheless, crazier things have happened in the league before, so if the Mavs do end up trading away Wood, it would not be the most surprising outcome.