The Los Angeles Lakers finally brought in their third center to the roster as the team agreed to a two-year deal with Christian Wood. The front office made no secret of their desire to bring in another big man before training camp and the former Maverick was easily the most talented one remaining on the market.
Wood adds to a talented Lakers frontcourt obviously led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but also with quality depth. Wood, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes all bring a different element to the table and the Lakers are looking like real championship contenders as training camp nears.
And barring anything unforeseen, this is what the Lakers will look like when the season begins as, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers roster is likely set following the Wood signing:
Los Angeles’ roster is likely set for training camp with 14 players now under contract, according to team sources.
This shouldn’t come as any sort of surprise since this has been standard for the Lakers over the past few seasons. The team prefers to have a roster of 14 players instead of the maximum 15, which allows for roster flexibility during the season. The team would be able to bring in an extra player in a trade or sign someone on the buyout market without having to sacrifice someone on the roster.
The Wood signing caps off what has been an excellent offseason for the franchise. Instead of focusing on a star, the Lakers valued continuity, bringing back Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves on excellent deals while also signing quality players such as Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince who can contribute in a big way in their roles.
Wood provides the Lakers with a floor stretching big man who has shot 37.9% from 3-point range for his career. His biggest strengths come on the offensive end, and he’s averaged at least 16.6 points in each of the last three seasons, but he can also hold his own on the glass averaging 7.3 rebounds for his career.
Christian Wood says it’s always been his dream to play for Lakers
Not only is the signing an excellent one for the Lakers that makes their roster complete, it is also a dream come true for Wood himself.
Born in Long Beach and raised in Southern California, Wood went on social media to reveal that it was always his dream to suit up for the purple and gold.
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