With July already halfway over, most NBA teams are already finished assembling their rosters. Sadly, for the active players who are still unsigned, many of them will likely go without a team until the season, until injuries or desperation forces a GM to make last-minute additions.
In Laker land, Rob Pelinka has done a fine job adding to last year’s Conference Finals team, but the latest rumors indicate he may not yet be done bringing in talent. According to team insider Lauren Gunn, there is some momentum building on a possible Christian Wood signing.
“Hearing some murmurs that there’s momentum building towards Christian Wood signing the minimum with the Lakers. Reminder that in order for a [sign and trade] to happen, he would have to sign a three-year deal with them which I don’t see happening.”
Hearing some murmurs that there’s momentum building towards Christian Wood signing the minimum with the Lakers.
Reminder that in order for a S&T to happen, he would have to sign a three-year deal with them which I don’t see happening.
— Lauren Gunn (@TheLaurenGunn) July 21, 2023
On paper, Wood seems like a pretty ideal option at center. Last season, in 67 games for the Mavericks, he averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on 51% shooting.
Unfortunately, there’s more to the story with Wood. As good as he is offensively, he’s a major liability on defense and lacks the kind of work ethic that makes him worth the risk. For the Lakers, the hope would be that playing with LeBron and AD helps unlock a new level to his game.
Can Lakers Maximize Christian Wood?
At this point, Wood would be signing for something close to the minimum and that’s an acceptable price if you’re the Lakers. In desperate need of some depth in the front court, Wood could make a solid addition in the middle whether it’s on the bench or in the starting lineup with Davis playing the four. Either way, his fit is anything but assured.
“Sources around the league point to two major deficiencies,” wrote one league insider. “One, despite the blocked shots, Wood’s contributions on defense are lacking, frustrating former coaches and teammates. And two, there seems to be a disconnect between what Wood thinks of his place in the league and how the league as a whole views him. There are related concerns about his professionalism.”
Needless to say, the jury is still out on what kind of player Christian Wood is and what kind of impact he has on his team. But someone is bound to pick him up before long, and why shouldn’t it be the Lakers?
If any team can get the most out of this guy, it’s this one.
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