For months, the Los Angeles Lakers have been tied with a move for former Dallas Mavericks big man, Christian Wood. But as it usually happens at this point in the NBA offseason, there has been no traction on a deal.
Wood hasn’t gauged a lot of league-wide interest, which is kind of odd, considering he’s proven that he can be an offensive contributor, either starting or coming off the bench.
However, his lack of defensive prowess is a big red flag, which is why Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report believes LeBron James’ team shouldn’t make a run at him anymore.
Christian Wood’s Defense Should Scare Lakers Away
“There is no question about his offensive skills. His defense, though, is suspect and therein lies the problem,” wrote Beaston. “Any big man is going to be counted on to contribute defensively and in Dallas, he struggled mightily.”
“He struggled to stretch the floor and oftentimes looked lost,” he added. “Some of that can be attributed to the coaching of Jason Kidd and his failure to put him in a position to succeed but beyond that, Wood did not look like the player he was over the two seasons prior, when he played his best ball with Houston.”
Then again, Rob Pelinka has already added a defensive-minded big man like Jaxson Hayes, so maybe Wood will be worth the risk, assuming he’s willing to sign for a not-so-lucrative deal.