Sources – Christian Wood joining Lakers on 2-year, $5.7M deal

Free agent forward/center Christian Wood has agreed on a two-year, $5.7 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers that includes a player option for the 2024-25 season, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night.

Wood gets a chance to contribute to a Western Conference contender and restore his value in the marketplace for a return to free agency in 2024 — and the Lakers get a skilled big man who’ll give them significant frontline versatility and depth.

The arrival of Wood, along with the free agent signing of 7-footer Jaxson Hayeslikely means Anthony Davis will be required to play fewer minutes at center this season.

Wood averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Dallas Mavericks in 2022-23, including a 30-point, 8-rebound, 4-steal performance in a Christmas Day victory over the Lakers.

Wood, who turns 28 later this month, gives the Lakers the ability to stretch the floor in the frontcourt. He was one of four players 6-foot-10 or taller to make 100 3-pointers in each of the past two seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The others were Nikola Vucevic, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Wood has averaged 38% on 3-pointers over the past four seasons and joins a Lakers team that shot only 34% last season, 25th in the league.

Wood comes to L.A. after spending a season with the Mavericks and the previous two with the Houston Rockets.