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Christian Wood feels elated after signing a two-year, $5.7 million deal with the LA Lakers. Wood joins an already stacked Lakers team hoping to come out of the Western Conference next season.
In his first statement on Tuesday evening, Wood said that it was always his dream to wear the purple and gold jersey. The Lakers will be his eighth team in as many years. He played for the Dallas Mavericks last season, averaging 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Wood was inconsistent in Dallas due to how coach Jason Kidd used him. There were even rumors about Wood having a bad attitude as one of the reasons why he has not lasted with a franchise.
Nevertheless, he will serve as an insurance to the injury-prone Anthony Davis whenever he gets bitten by the injury bug.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Christian Wood's two-year deal with the LA Lakers. Wood has a player option for next season, which he could use if he plays great for the Lakers to more money in next year's free agency.
According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Wood signed a veteran's minimum worth of less than $3 million in the first year with a player option valued at $3 million for the 2024-25 season.
NBA Insider Marc Stein added that if Christian Wood has a strong 2023-24 season with the LA Lakers, he could use it to his advantage in next year's free agency. Stein used Malik Monk and Dennis Schroder as examples.
Monk signed a two-year, $19.4 million contract with the Sacramento Kings last summer after one season with the Lakers. Meanwhile, Schroder joined the Toronto Raptors this summer for two years, $25.4 million.
A look at Christian Wood's NBA career so far
Christian Wood was not selected in the 2015 NBA Draft but joined the Houston Rockets in that year's Summer League. Wood impressed teams and went on to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. He played 16 games for the Sixers in his rookie season, spending most of his time with the Delaware 87ers.
Wood bounced around the league, playing for the Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Hornets and Detroit Pistons. He earned his first big payday in the summer of 2020 when he signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the Houston Rockets.
The 27-year-old big man lasted two seasons in Houston before he got traded to the Dallas Mavericks last year. He became a free agent at the end of last season but went unsigned for more than two months.
