Christian Wood had limited opportunities to showcase his abilities for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, with averages of 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds over 50 games.
However, his season came to an abrupt halt in February due to a left knee injury that required surgery.
Following the injury, he remained sidelined for the remainder of the season. However, there’s potential for him to see significantly more playing time in the upcoming season.
According to Michael Scotto’s report, Wood has decided to exercise his $3 million player option for the 2024-25 season.
This decision means that Wood’s contract with the Lakers extends until at least 2025, after which he will once again become a free agent.
Initially signed to the Lakers last summer, Wood was expected to serve as a backup big man behind Anthony Davis. However, he struggled to secure a consistent spot in the lineup and saw limited playing time under head coach Darvin Ham.
Despite being medically cleared for the final few games of the season, Ham opted not to utilize him.
With Wood now healthy and the Lakers set to welcome a new head coach for the upcoming season, there’s potential for him to see increased playing time.
While this decision addresses one aspect of the Lakers’ roster, there are still numerous other decisions that need to be made in the offseason.
Title: Lakers Veteran Christian Wood Makes Decision on Contract
Christian Wood, a veteran player for the Los Angeles Lakers, has made a significant decision regarding his contract, as reported by Michael Scotto. Despite limited opportunities during the previous season, where he averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds over 50 games before a left knee injury ended his season in February, Wood has opted to exercise his $3 million player option for the 2024–25 season.
With this decision, Wood’s tenure with the Lakers extends until at least 2025, when he will again become a free agent. Initially signed as a backup big man behind Anthony Davis last summer, Wood struggled to secure a consistent spot in the lineup under head coach Darvin Ham. Despite being medically cleared for the last few games of the season, he was rarely utilized.
However, with a new season on the horizon and Wood now healthy, there’s potential for him to see increased playing time, especially under a new head coach. While this decision addresses one aspect of the Lakers’ roster, there are still numerous other decisions that need to be made in the offseason, including negotiating a contract extension with superstar LeBron James and addressing the player option of D’Angelo Russell. Additionally, there may be further roster adjustments to provide additional support for James and Davis. As Wood prepares for another season with the Lakers, he could be returning to a team with a significantly different look.
