The Los Angeles Lakers signed forward/center Christian Wood, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Wood (6’10”, 223) most recently appeared in 67 games (17 starts) with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2022-23 season, averaging 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks in 25.9 minutes per game, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from 3-point range. Last season, the California native notched 12 double-doubles and scored in double figures in 54 games, including 25 contests scoring 20 or more points. Wood blocked at least one shot in 42 games last season, including 17 games with multiple rejections and two games in which he swatted a season-best five shots.
Per the LA Times, it’s “a two-year deal with a player option for the second year. Wood will make the veteran’s minimum, which for him is $2.7 million this season. In terms of talent versus cost, it’s an absolute bargain. The 6-foot-10, soon-to-be 28-year-old Wood is one of only a handful of players in the NBA with his size and skills. Last season, only six players 6-10 or taller made at least 37% of their three-points shots while taking more than 250 attempts. Wood was one of them — along with Lauri Markkanen, Brook Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis, Bobby Portis and Michael Porter Jr.”
Across seven NBA seasons with Dallas, Houston (2020-22), Detroit (2019-20), New Orleans (2018-19), Milwaukee (2018-19), Charlotte (2016-17) and Philadelphia (2015-16), the 27-year-old has appeared in 289 career games (139 starts), posting averages of 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.2 minutes per contest, while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Wood played two collegiate seasons (2013-15) at UNLV, appearing in 63 total games (34 starts) and averaging 10.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 23.3 minutes per game.
