Author: Monojit Mandal
The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the hunt for a place in the NBA Finals. With LeBron James returning for another season, the pressure is on to raise another championship banner in the rafters of the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) before the iconic King retires. To that end, the Lakers management has been hard at work this summer, making smart moves to strengthen their team.
The Lakers renewed the contracts of two key players, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, for below market value as part of their smart signings. With the arrival of Gabe Vincent, the club has improved its reserve playmaker position and added intriguing players like Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes. In addition, his successful attempts at the NBA Draught resulted in the acquisition of two promising talents.
As the initial wave of free agency signings in the league has dissipated, only a few key players remain on the market. However, the Lakers are still aggressively looking for impact players to fill their last roster spots, and seem to be interested in one in particular.
The Lakers are rumored to be nearing a deal with Christian Wood for a minimum salary, according to NBA source Lauren Gunn.
The Lakers’ interest in Wood has been clear for some time. What is remarkable is that a player of Wood’s caliber, with great offensive skills, is available for a one-year contract. Any concerns about his character or level of effort can be offset by the low-risk aspect of a contract like this from the NBA.
Wood, who was a member of the Dallas Mavericks last season, showed his scoring talents with an average of 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, as well as a true shooting percentage of 62.4%. He is 1.80m tall and has excellent ball handling skills, making him a versatile and dynamic striker in goal-front situations as well as in quick moves. His ability to run pick-and-roll plays in tandem with LeBron James could be a lethal combination for the Lakers. In addition, Wood’s long-range shooting (37.6% from beyond the arc on 5.8 attempts per game) makes him a great offensive asset.
Wood, like all the other players, has flaws in his game, such as the ratio between turnovers and assists and the irregular defensive performance. These circumstances may have led to his drifting between teams, despite his obvious talent. Although there have been some doubts about his character, the Lakers see it as a low-risk move.
If Wood doesn’t live up to expectations with the veteran’s minimum contract, the Lakers have the option to waive him without financial consequences. On the other hand, if he performs well, he has the potential to become a lethal offensive weapon with Anthony Davis, perhaps reinforcing the Lakers’ second unit.
While other clubs may consider interfering to prevent the conference finalists from acquiring a high-caliber player at such a low cost, the Lakers seem to have luck on their side once again. This deliberate move could considerably boost the Lakers’ title chances as they inch closer to acquiring Christian Wood. Only time will tell if Wood will be able to keep his promise and help the venerable team win another championship.