The Los Angeles Lakers signed veteran center Christian Wood to a two-year contract in the summer after weeks of rumors connecting the two sides. In Wood, the Lakers added a talented but possibly troubled offensive-minded center to pair with Anthony Davis.
At times, the move has looked like a steal. Wood has had excellent moments in his first 27 games played with the Lakers and even found his way into the starting lineup for a game. But he has also been played out of the rotation and was a DNP in five of the team’s last 11 games.
And like any Lakers role player — especially one struggling to find footing in the rotation — Wood’s name has already been thrown out as a potential trade piece as the Lakers look to upgrade their roster. While a minimum salary makes it harder to deal him for anyone of value, an upgrade at backup center seems like a need for L.A.
But Wood is doing his best to avoid any lingering thoughts about being the subject of trade rumors, saying that it comes with the territory of playing for the Lakers.
“I mean, it’s the Lakers. Everybody’s gonna have their own trade ideas,” Wood said. “This is the one that the biggest markets in the league, so everybody’s gonna throw this guy in and that guy. Just pay no mind to it and just play the game that your coach allows you to play.”
It’s nearly impossible for a role player to go through a stint with the Lakers without being involved in trade rumors at some point. Even if the team has no active discussions to trade a player, the threat of the Lakers looms large in league-wide conversations. L.A. is often thrown into rumors as a leverage point for another team.
But being on the Lakers means the need to have thick skin for rumors, a lesson nearly every role player has learned over the past few seasons. And if Wood wants to find his way back to the rotation, he will especially have to focus on taking his own advice and ensuring that trade rumors aren’t affecting his play or his attitude.
Christian Wood discusses staying ready
One of the unexpected contributors for the Lakers in their recent victory over the Charlotte Hornets was Wood. After playing 30 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs back on Dec. 15, Wood had seen just five minutes total over the Lakers’ last five games with three DNPs over that stretch.
But against Charlotte, Wood played 23 minutes off the bench and had a strong showing, finishing with nine points, five rebounds and four assists in the Lakers’ 21-point victory. Like many of the Lakers’ role players, Wood has been in and out of the rotation so it was great to see him contribute in a big way.
Wood was able to stay locked in by just continuing to put in work on and off the court.
“Just me doing conditioning, lifting, watching a lot of film,” Wood said when asked how he stayed ready. “Seeing areas where we could work on. We’ve been lacking a lot in 3-point shooting, so I think is a big thing for me to come in and make shots.”
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