Christian Wood, who missed part of last season and the playoffs due to a knee injury, has undergone another procedure. Despite initially recovering, Wood had to undergo an arthroscopy on the affected area. The Lakers confirmed he will be reevaluated in eight weeks, ruling him out for the start of the regular season.

In an official statement, the Lakers announced: “Lakers forward/center Christian Wood underwent a successful arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee today. The procedure was performed by Dr. Kristofer J. Jones at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Wood will be reevaluated by team doctors in approximately eight weeks.”

Following the team’s announcement, Wood took to social media to share his thoughts. “Damn… I was just feeling like my old self again and was in peak shape,” Wood posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Minor setback for a major comeback. To my fans, don’t stop believing in me.”

Shaq predicts tough start for the Lakers

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal weighed in on how he expects the Lakers to perform under head coach JJ Redick, who is entering his first season leading the team. Shaq didn’t hold back, predicting a rocky start for the Purple and Gold.

“I think they’re going to have a rough start, personally,” O’Neal said. “LeBron and AD will do their part to keep everyone focused, but I’ve always said that if you truly respect your coach, you’ll go out and play hard for them.”

Shaq went on to compare Redick’s situation to his own experience as a player. “I was lucky to play for guys like Phil Jackson and Pat Riley—coaches who knew what they were doing,” he explained. “No disrespect to other coaches, but there were times when I’d think, ‘I don’t know if that’s going to work.’”

O’Neal also raised concerns about whether Lakers players would fully embrace Redick’s system. “When you get a coach like that, the antenna is already up. My question is: Will the antennas of the players be up when JJ Redick talks? We don’t know, but we’ll see.”

Magic Johnson asks Lakers fans to be patient

Lakers legend Magic Johnson is calling for patience as the team adjusts to its new head coach. Speaking to KCAL News, Johnson emphasized the importance of giving Redick time to find his groove.

“As Lakers fans, we need to give JJ Redick the time to figure out how to make the most of the team’s talent and learn what coaching strategies will work,” Johnson said. “It’s not going to happen overnight, but having a leader like LeBron James—one of the greatest players ever—alongside Anthony Davis, is going to be a huge help for him.”

They eventually made a run at Christian Wood. The former Dallas Mavericks big man would split minutes with Jaxson Hayes and Anthony Davis at the four and the five, giving Darvin Ham another big man who could stretch the floor with his offense.

Needless to say, playing behind Anthony Davis means you’re not going to get that many minutes. He’s playing 20.6 minutes a game, and has only made one start this season. Also, the team could rely on Hayes’ rim protection depending on the matchup, so Wood’s role and minutes could vary on a nightly basis.

With that in mind, the former Detroit Pistons standout talked to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, acknowledging that adapting to this lesser role has been challenging but stating that he’s fully committed to doing whatever it takes to help the team.

Wood Is Locked In

“I’m not playing a role I played the last four or five years, which was being a high-usage guy, taking a lot of shots,” Wood said after the loss to the Mavericks. “Playing this role player role, where I’m trying — if the team needs help with rebounds, I have to try and help rebound. And whatever they need to do, I’m there to do. Some nights, they’re going to run plays for me; some nights, they’re not. I just got to be prepared for that.”

For the first time in his career, Wood knows it’s not about him. His numbers don’t matter that much unless they translate to winning basketball and making a positive impact on the court for his team:

“Maybe if I had five points, five rebounds and was a plus-15, I think that’s a great night for me,” Wood said. “That would be impacting winning. I’m not putting up 20s and 10s, 30s and 20s, and all this other stuff anymore. I mean, I can when given the opportunity. But this year, I think it’s just more about doing the little things to help out the team.”

Ham Wants Everybody To Chip In

The Lakers entered the season fresh off a failed trip to the Western Conference Finals. They’re thirsty for revenge and looking forward to getting back to the NBA Finals, and that’s going to take a collective effort. Egos don’t matter anymore in Los Angeles:

“It’s a contrast between playing or producing at a high level for your individual self or playing and producing at a high level for your team,” Coach Darvin Ham told the media. “A lot of guys who are not mentally focused so much on the unit as opposed to being focused on themselves, they fall into that trap of outside noise. And people comparing what they did last year in the situation vs. what they’re doing in a situation this year.”

The Lakers may not be as talented as they were in the past, but they do have scrappy and team-first role players who’ll put their bodies on the line on every possession to help the team. They still need more star power to match up with other powerhouses in the Western Conference, but at least they have the right mindset.

Wood isn’t a good defender by any means, but he’s a very polished offensive repertoire. He can score from all three levels and stretch the floor with his three-point shooting skills.

However, and even though Jaxson Hayes will also come off the bench, Darvin Ham doesn’t want Davis starting next to Anthony Davis, and he’ll have him come off the bench instead.

Lakers Won’t Start Christian Wood

“The early expectation is that Wood will come off the bench with Rui Hachimura the likely frontcourt starter next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, according to team sources,” Jovan Buha of The Athletic wrote.

“At a minimum, Wood will be the primary backup center behind Davis while occasionally teaming with him in two-big lineups,” he added. “He should average around 20 minutes per game when everyone is healthy.”

Of course, that could be an issue with Davis, who has made it publically known that he doesn’t like playing at the five. Of course, it could also change at some point in the season.

Dame did everything he could to succeed with the Portland Trail Blazers, but now it looks like he’s finally giving up. The guard reportedly made it clear he only wants to play for Miami, but his team is blocking the way out.

However, negotiations aren’t over yet, so the Heat are still optimistic they can get it done before the new season gets underway. In fact, the front office has reportedly identified two players to go after once Lillard moves to South Florida.

Which players could join the Heat apart from Lillard?

According to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports, if the Miami Heat finally land Lillard, they could go after Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre.

“If the Heat do finally ever figure out a Dame trade…….Watch for both Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre to be on the team’s radar as possible vet minimum additions in free agency per league source.”

While finding a way to get Lillard on board is obviously the priority, the Heat wouldn’t stop there. Both Wood and Oubre are interesting options still available in the open market.

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.

Plenty of Western Conference teams have enough firepower to make a championship run and dethrone the Denver Nuggets. Therefore, everyone needs to add as many pieces as possible to reach far in the postseason.

An obvious title candidate is the Los Angeles Lakers, as any team that has LeBron James in the lineup can be. Having a healthy Anthony Davis could go a long way in their success, but they must be prepared in case injuries harm them again.

The Lakers have a solid rotation with talents like Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura among others. Regardless, reliable role players such as Christian Wood are never too many when it comes to winning a championship.

Christian Wood May be Seeking a Contract with Miami Heat

Almost the entire offseason there have been rumors about a potential signing of Wood by the Lakers. However, the veteran is still available as a free agent. This means any team in the league with a decent cap space could get him.

Another team where he could land if the Lakers don’t sign him is the Miami Heat. Wood likes the idea of joining the Heat, especially if they trade for Damian Lillard, as was reported by Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Wood can be a good option for teams looking for an offensive piece that fits their mold. He can be that at a fairly productive level if he is in a loaded lineup, but he lacks defense so much that he might not receive a great contract despite having a free path to sign anywhere.

The Mavs left a lot to be desired last year, failing to make the playoffs even after getting Kyrie Irving at the February deadline. On the other hand, the purple and gold made the Conference Finals.

Rob Pelinka kept on finding ways to improve the roster this offseason, making a number of moves that put them in a position to succeed. But according to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Lakers are still trying to add Christian Wood to their squad.

Rumor: Lakers continue being interested in Christian Wood

(Via Lakers Nation)

“The Lakers, after swiftly coming to terms with Anthony Davis on a three-year contract extension worth a projected $186 million, have maintained a level of interest in signing free agent big man Christian Wood, league sources say.

The Lakers, though, remain limited in offering Wood anything beyond the league’s veteran minimum. As I reported here last month, Dallas remains open to facilitating a sign-and-trade for Wood if the Mavericks can acquire a player they like in the exchange, but neither the Lakers nor the Miami Heat are considered potential sign-and-trade destinations.“

Wood has so far been unable to find a team willing to pay him above the veteran minimum, which is why he’s still on the open market. If he changes his mind, the Lakers would be glad to have him on board.

Everyone at the organization, from Pat Riley to the last player on the roster, feel that winning a ring is possible. Miami came close in the last few years, but it always looked like they lacked another star to make it happen.

Negotiations are reportedly ongoing with the Portland Trail Blazers, who don’t want to let Dame go so easily. But in the meantime, the Heat seem to have another target on their sights.

Rumor: Heat could sign Christian Wood

According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Heat could be a landing spot for free agent center Christian Wood, who spent last season with the Dallas Mavericks:

“Sources also believe that the Miami Heat could be a suitor for Wood, particularly if they’re able to pull off a Damian Lillard trade.”

Wood, however, has also been linked with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls. If Miami can finally unblock Lillard’s exit from Portland, landing Wood would give them more depth behind Bam Adebayo.

Christian Wood is reported to be their main target right now. He hasn’t re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, and there doesn’t seem to be any sort of interest in that regard.

However, a report by Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times cites that they could still face some steep competition, as the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are looking to join the race for his services.

Bulls, Heat Want To Sign Christian Wood

“According to sources familiar with the team’s free-agent pursuits but not authorized to speak publicly, the Chicago Bulls are suddenly viewed as a potential threat that could keep the Lakers from landing Wood,” Woike wrote.

“Sources also believe that the Miami Heat could be a suitor for Wood, particularly if they’re able to pull off a Damian Lillard trade. The Heat were rumored to be in the market for Dario Saric before he picked Golden State and the Lakers had interest in Saric as well,” added Woike.

The Lakers don’t have a lot of money to offer, but they would give him a legit shot to pursue a championship. Will that be enough to convince him? We’ll have to wait and see.

Rob Pelinka had already fixed the roster in the February deadline, but after watching Nikola Jokic and company sweep the purple and gold in the last Conference Finals, he realized more changes needed to be made.

That’s why the Lakers have been active this offseason, making a number of signings in free agency. The front office wouldn’t be done yet, but it may have to hurry up before one of its targets chooses another team.

Rumor: Bulls could prevent Lakers from getting Christian Wood

According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Bulls are seen as a possible landing spot for free agent center Christian Wood – who is reportedly on the Lakers’ radar:

“According to sources familiar with the team’s free-agent pursuits but not authorized to speak publicly, the Chicago Bulls are suddenly viewed as a potential threat that could keep the Lakers from landing Wood.

The reason? Chicago recently got a $10.2-million player exception because of Lonzo Ball’s knee injury that’s expected to keep him off the court next season. The Bulls can use some or all of that money to acquire a player via trade or sign a player to a one-year free-agent deal.”

The report notes that, since the Lakers can only offer the veteran’s minimum, chances are Wood could sign elsewhere. The Miami Heat, who are waiting to get Damian Lillard, are also reportedly interested in the former Dallas Mavericks man.

But they still have a couple of roster spots available, and while Max Christie might earn one after his impressive performances in the NBA 2K Summer League, they could look at someone more experienced to fill the other spot.

According to most rumors, they’re keeping tabs on former Dallas Mavericks big man Christian Wood. However, they might not be able to lure him to Southern California, according to Marc Stein

Lakers Want Christian Wood, But It Won’t Be Easy.

“The Lakers would love to add Christian Wood– by far the most talented big man available.” Stein said. “From the Lakers’ perspective, because they have Anthony Davis– you put Christian Wood next to him. “

“The Lakers are restricted to minimums in what they can offer. Are the Lakers interested in Christian Wood? No question,” Stein continued.

At the end of the day, Wood might not get a lot of money somewhere else either, so he could choose to take a cheap deal with the Lakers to prove himself in a contender before getting another big payday with another team.