Christian Wood Cites Darvin Ham, Title Chances As Key Factors In Lakers Signing

After months of rumors, your Los Angeles Lakers finally landed big man Christian Wood on a two-year deal. Wood brings a new element to this Lakers squad, as he can space the floor well and scores at a high rate.

He does come with some questions, however, as his attitude at times has been questioned and his defense isn’t the greatest. But with star Anthony Davis alongside him, it could allow for some lapses on the defensive end.

Wood put out a statement after the signing was announced, and cited Lakers head coach Darvin Ham as one of the factors for his signing in Los Angeles. He also mentioned the ability to truly compete for a championship this year as well.

Christian Wood statement to @andscape about signing with the Lakers. The former Mavericks forward opted not to discuss his former team. pic.twitter.com/YvV1BJvgDH
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 6, 2023

The NBA decided that Wood wasn’t worth more than a veteran minimum contract, so his joining the Lakers should be seen as a “prove it” type of situation. If he can come in and succeed with a title-contending team, he could boost his value across the league.

Wood can then enter free agency down the line and go for a bigger contract. It’s a great gamble for him and one that has proven to work out with other players in the past.

This is a low-risk, potentially high-reward move by Los Angeles due to his skill set. Wood is one of the better-scoring big men in the NBA today, and the Lakers got him in early September on a low contract.

General Manager Rob Pelinka deserves a ton of credit for this signing and the entire offseason. He has put this team into a place where they should find major success next season as they go for title number 18.

The Lakers have all the means to win another championship this season, they just need to go out and execute it to perfection. Through LA's first two games, the 6'10" big man is averaging seven points on 45.5% shooting from the floor, seven rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 18.5 minutes per. He was a big part of the club's fourth quarter push to close out the Phoenix Suns Thursday in a 100-95 win.

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