NBA free agency 2023: Christian Wood reportedly agrees to 2-year deal with Lakers

Christian Wood is moving on from Dallas.

Wood agreed to a two-year deal to join the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wood was traded to Dallas last summer for the final year of his three-year, $41 million deal. He was supposed to be a big boost for the Mavericks, who were coming off a huge run to the Western Conference finals.

Though Wood had his moments, the season was a disappointing one for just about everyone in Dallas. The Mavericks went 38-44 and missed the playoffs. Wood averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, both down from his 2021-22 campaign in Houston, and started 17 contests. He shot 51% from the field.

Christian Wood

PF - LAL - #35

2022 - 2023 season

16.6

Pts

7.3

Reb

1.8

Ast

1.1

Blk

25:56

Min

The Lakers will mark the eighth team Wood will play for in the league. The 27-year-old started with the Philadelphia 76ers after going undrafted out of UNLV in 2015, and then played stints with Charlotte, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Detroit and Houston. The Rockets were the only team that he played more than a single season for.

Wood has drawn significant interest heading into free agency, especially with rumors the Mavericks were ready to move on. According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Miami Heat had Wood on their radar since they fell to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.

Despite the disappointing run in Dallas, Wood is still a solid center who has shot nearly 38% from behind the arc throughout his career. His versatility will allow him to make a solid impact for any team that needs to add depth inside. Just because it didn’t work out alongside Luka Dončić, and it took him much longer than the rest of the free agency class this summer, doesn’t mean it won’t work elsewhere.