After serving a starting role with the Rockets the last two seasons, Dallas Mavericks center Christian Wood is thriving off the bench for his new team. Wood is playing particularly well as of late, as he's averaging 22.3 points per contest over his last three.
But Wood is set to hit restricted free agency this summer, so his future in Dallas is up in the air. He reportedly wants a long-term contract extension from Dallas, but the team is hesitant to offer him one, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst:
“Sources told ESPN the Mavs have interest in a two-year extension, which would be for a maximum of $36 million. That would give Wood security and preserve long-term flexibility for the Mavs, who could have significant salary-cap space in the summer of 2025.”
“Asked if he needed a four-year commitment, Wood laughed and said, ‘”I can't answer that.”‘
Wood, 27, has played for seven different NBA teams across his seven-year journey in the league. He's averaging 17.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks across 35 appearances this season (10 starts). Not much of a three-point shooter when he first entered the NBA, Wood is now a reliable threat from behind the arc. He's converting a career-best 40.3% of his three-pointers on 4.5 attempts per game thus far.
If the Mavericks don't want to commit to Wood long-term, perhaps they'll look to trade him before February's trade deadline. While he has his warts on the defensive end, Wood's ability to score and rebound the ball means Dallas should have no problem finding trade destinations for him.
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