Lakers Waive Christian Wood To Make Room for Free Agent Center

Ricardo Sandoval | Feb 11, 2025

Sep 30, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Christian Wood (35) during media day at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived veteran center Christian Wood to make room for free agent center Alex Len.

ESPN's Shams Charania shared via X.

The Lakers are waiving Christian Wood to sign Len, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/PqANIme1CE

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025

Wood has not played a single minute for L.A. this season as he was recovering from knee surgery.

The 29-year-old was in his second year in L.A. after he signed with the team in Sept. 2023. He was limited only to 50 games in the 2023-24 season before he suffered a left knee injury.

Prior to the injury, he averaged 6.9 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0,7 blocks in 17.4 minutes of action. Wood shot 46 percent from the field and 30 percent from three, which was the worst in his career. He started one game for L.A.

He had an initial arthroscopic procedure in March 2024. After exercising his $3 million player option to return for another season, Wood had arthroscopic surgery on his knee again in September.

The Lakers were desperate for a center all season long, even when Anthony Davis was on the roster. The Lakers never provided a real update on Wood and his progression, and it appears he was never even close to returning this season.

At media day in early October, Wood told the media that things were going well in his recovery process.

"Things are going good. I think I’m doing better this time around, my second rehab is going well. About to start ramping things up in maybe about two weeks and then I think it’s gonna take maybe another two weeks to try and get back in game shape. I’m thankful that I did the surgery almost immediately when I had the problem with my knee. I think I’ll be back sooner rather than later.”

In his career, Wood has averaged 13.6 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field and 37 percent from three.

Charania said on Tuesday on ESPN's NBA Today that the Lakers were persistent on adding a big man for the next 24 to 48 hours. A few hours later, the Lakers announced they had signed Len to the team.

Len will wear the No. 27 for the Lakers.

In his career, Len averages 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 680 career games across 12 seasons.

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