(Pay attention first, then read)
Preface: On September 6, Beijing time, free agent Christian Wood signed a two-year base-salary contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, with player options for the second year. This signing took Wood to the team he wanted to go to, and the Lakers also got the backup center they always dreamed of, so will Wood be another successful base-salary signing after Schroder and Monk? Will he be able to bring the X-factor that the Lakers expect? Los Angeles Times reporter Dan Woike will give us an in-depth analysis of Wood's fit with the Lakers.
At the Thomas & Mack Center at the Las Vegas Summer League, two uniformed crew members from the same NBA team were asked who are the most talented free agents in free agency right now.
On a scale of 1 to 100 points, they were asked what they thought of Christian Wood, a big man known for scoring but not a bad reputation who signed the Lakers on a base-salary contract?
One scout quickly gave an 80-point score, citing Wood's undeniable talent and practicality on the offensive end. Another executive snickered, his score lower.
"0 points," he said.
Late Tuesday, the Lakers showed a positive stance on the issue when they agreed to sign Wood to a two-year contract, with a player option for the second year. Wood will be offered a veteran base-salary contract, and for him, his salary this season is just $2.7 million.
In terms of player talent and cost, it's definitely a good deal.
At 6'10" tall, Wood, who is about to turn 28, is one of the few players in the NBA who can perfectly combine height and technology. Last season, only six players taller than 6 feet 10 had shot at least 37 percent from three-point range with more than 250 shots. Wood is one of them, along with Laurie Markkanen, Brooke Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis, Bobby Portis and Michael Porter Jr.
In the modern NBA, especially in a team with players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, a big man with space is a very important part of the team. But like anything you can find in a discounted item, there's probably a reason he's been hanging on the free market until now.
With questions about Wood's attitude and abilities on the team's defense — issues that didn't get a positive response when he played for the Dallas Mavericks last season — and whether he was willing to embrace his role on the team, there was a gap between Wood's best use and what Wood thought was the best use of his talent.
The concerns were so serious that the Lakers were able to consider signing Wood, a free agent, for more than two months. The only perks Wood will get in the negotiations are a second-year player option, which is also his insurance policy if the Lakers decide to ditch him and if the new season doesn't go ahead.
The Lakers could drop Wood, eat his salary this season, and extend the remainder of the contract into multiple seasons to mitigate the impact of the salary cap. But the Lakers certainly hope that things don't turn out like that, hoping that Wood, like Marik Monk and Dennis Schroder before him, can use his base salary contract with the Lakers to play at the level he deserves, so as to get a big raise.
Since the Lakers began courting Wood a few months ago, they've had plenty of time to discuss the issue and conclude that it was a deliberate choice the Lakers made.
While this will be the eighth team Wood will play for in his eighth season in the NBA, there's reason to believe it's the right time to work together.
First, his role in the team should be more palatable, and while Wood's skills and numbers are impressive, free market interest in him has waned. Second, his defensive problems can be alleviated to some extent, and his teammates around him defend better than when he was with the Dallas Mavericks or Houston Rockets. Third, there is confidence within the squad, with coach Hamm directing on the sidelines and James in the locker room helping Wood stay focused.
And the signed-up player answered the Lakers' biggest roster question of the offseason. Although the Lakers acquired Gabe Vincent, Torion Prince, Jaxon Hayes and Cam Reddish and re-signed Austin Reeves, D'Angelo Russell and Hachimura, the Lakers still needed a player who could partner with Davis or, more importantly, someone who could take his place if Davis was injured. The same goes for James.
Without a doubt, Wood is the best player in free agency right now, and his ability makes this signing seem like a no-brainer.
What about the risks? This is also obvious. The chemistry in the locker room and on the pitch is delicate and Wood could spoil it.
But given his cheap contract, superb technique and plenty of motivation, the Lakers saw it as a worthwhile option, and by the end of the offseason, their roster looked largely built.