The Dallas Mavericks struggled in 2022-23, leading to a shocking situation in which the franchise missed the postseason entirely after making a deep run the previous year. That left the organization with plenty of questions heading into the 2023 offseason, headlined by the unrestricted free agency of players like Kyrie Irving and Christian Wood. While Irving’s market at the top of the league seemed more clear — and led to him, very quickly, coming to terms on a new deal to stay in Dallas — Wood finished a season in which he averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 67 appearances for the Mavs and spent months on the market.
That all changed on Tuesday night, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Wood would head to the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year deal.
Free agent F/C Christian Wood has agreed on a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Deal includes a player option.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2023
Wood, who will turn 28 years old before the 2023-24 season begins, has averaged 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game over the last three seasons combined with Dallas and Houston. In that time, he has shot 50.9 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point distance, establishing Wood as a legitimate high-end offensive option on offense. His defensive impact is more muddled, which makes it fair to wonder how big of an impact he will have for Darvin Ham in Los Angeles, but Wood’s traits are enticing enough to demand intrigue on the market.