Lakers Head Coach Shares Main Challenge He Posed for Christian Wood This Year

Big man Christian Wood has been in the NBA for a bit now, but he has never really played a big role on a team with title aspirations. His team last season, the Dallas Mavericks, was supposed to have them, but they ended up missing the postseason.

Wood recently signed with the Lakers toward the end of free agency, and the plan for him is to have a significant role with the team. LA needed another big man to help fill out their depth and bring a different kind of center to their roster.

He has the ability to step out and knock down three-point shots at a high rate, something the other big men on the Lakers haven’t shown the ability to do consistently. Last season, Wood shot 37.6 percent from deep, and his shooting ability should help space the floor for the Lakers.

However, Wood doesn’t come without some question marks. His effort level in games has been wondered about, and his defense is still a work in progress. So many teams believed that while he could score the ball well, there were enough negative factors to go against signing him.

But he now lands in LA, and he is very familiar with Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. They spent time together in Milwaukee, and Ham believes that this team can get the most out of Wood.

Ham said he has a strong relationship with Wood, and told Wood that "it's time for you to show that the stats you put up can impact wins at the highest level." He added that Wood's Lakers teammates have fully embraced him to get the most out of him.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) September 28, 2023

If the Lakers are able to get Wood to fully buy in, it would be a steal for them. The signing can be broken down as a low risk, potentially very high reward, due to his skill level.

He gives them another scoring option when on the floor with guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and that should scare opponents. It should be a very interesting year for Wood, and one where he is able to potentially boost his value, and possibly win a championship along the way.

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