Christian Wood Joins Los Angeles Lakers in 2-Year NBA Deal

NBA Free Agency 2023: Christian Wood Makes Lakers Move

Christian Wood, previously with the Dallas Mavericks, has sealed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, as reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.


Wood arrived in Dallas last summer via a trade with the Houston Rockets. Hopes were high for him to be a game-changer for the Mavericks, who had recently made a deep run in the Western Conference playoffs.


However, the season turned out to be a letdown for Dallas, finishing with a 38-44 record and missing the playoffs. Wood's numbers were down compared to his 2021-22 campaign with Houston, averaging 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while starting in just 17 games. On a positive note, he maintained a 51% field goal percentage.

This marks Wood's seventh team in the NBA. His journey began with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015 after going undrafted from UNLV. He then had short stints with Charlotte, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Detroit, and Houston. Notably, the Rockets were the only team where he spent more than a single season.

Heading into free agency, Wood garnered significant interest, especially amid rumors of the Mavericks looking to part ways. According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the Miami Heat had their eyes on Wood following their NBA Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Despite the disappointment in Dallas, Wood remains a dependable center, boasting a nearly 38% three-point shooting throughout his career. His versatility makes him a valuable addition for teams in need of frontcourt depth. Just because things didn't click with Luka Dončić and his free agency process took longer doesn't mean he won't shine elsewhere.