The Lakers’ supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis was hampered by injuries last year. Among those who spent part of the season on the sidelines was backup center Christian Wood. Now entering his ninth season in the league, the 28-year-old big man sent out a message to Laker fans—and seemingly the rest of the NBA—over the weekend.
Lakers Big Man Issues Bold Message to Fans
Christian Wood’s Message
On Saturday, Aug. 24, Wood posted the following statement to his Instagram story:
“I’m back yall ..and l’m coming back next season with a vengeance.”
This proclamation comes months after Wood played 50 games before going down with a knee injury that eventually required surgery. Despite a notable decrease in production, Wood played his role well enough, averaging 6.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, one assist and 0.7 blocks per game. He also shot 46.6% from the field, 30.7% from three and 70.2% from the free-throw line.
Wood’s notable games include a 17-point, eight-rebound performance against the Spurs on Dec. 15, 2023, as well as a double-double of ten points and eleven rebounds against the Clippers on Nov. 1, 2023. However, Wood’s final game of the season was forgettable, to say the least—two points, four rebounds and one assist in 16 minutes against the Jazz on Valentine’s Day. All in all, Wood’s campaign is a far cry from his lone season with the Dallas Mavericks (2022-23), when he averaged 16 points and seven rebounds and finished top-ten in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Wood’s Importance to the Lakers
Despite the unfortunate end to the season, Wood remains a key piece of the Lakers bench heading into a new era under head coach JJ Redick.
Wood’s latest claim comes months after a similar statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) in May:
Loved my first year playing for my Hometown team, I Wish I wasn’t hurt majority of the season, But all in all it was a dream come True for me.. I will be better and 100% healthy next season .
— 35 (@Chriswood_5) May 3, 2024
Wood proceeded to accept his Player Option just two days after posting those remarks. His recent story appears to reaffirm his commitment to the franchise, where he may play a pivotal role in next year’s rotation.
Backup Center Dilemma
With the Lakers unable to add to the backup center spot in free agency—one of their top priorities this offseason—the onus will be on Wood and Jaxson Hayes to once again fill the void behind AD. Wood remained a productive presence inside the arc when healthy, using his length to deter shots and his 214-pound frame to score at will. He held several advantages to his counterpart, Hayes, particularly his experience, versatility and floor-spacing. Where Hayes has him beat, however, is in games played (70 vs. 50) and size (7’0” vs. 6’8”). Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane broke down the differences between Wood and Hayes, ultimately preferring the former to be Davis’s backup this year:
“Last season, Christian Wood—this is why I think I have to lean towards him—the Lakers were +23.7 points per 100 possessions, 23.7, with Christian Wood, LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the floor. Now, I think that’s an outlier. We’re talking about just over 200 possessions, so that’s a small sample size, but good Lord. There was a part of the season…where Christian Wood, LeBron James and Anthony Davis was—both in stats and the eye test—the best lineup the Lakers could put on the floor. There was some synergy between those three players. It just worked out having the three of them on the floor, having the extra size out there.”
Lane went on to emphasize that although Hayes is not someone like Heat center Bam Adebayo, who played alongside Davis on Team USA in a successful pairing, “There was something there [with a Wood-Davis combo],” he said. As for how both players fared alongside James and without Davis, Wood won that battle as well, posting a +12.1 next to LeBron compared to Hayes’ +3.8, according to Lane.
For someone like Redick, who has embraced analytics as part of his coaching philosophy, the numbers don’t lie, and the choice seems clear.
“The bottom line is that Christian Wood plus LeBron is a winning combination more so than Jaxson Hayes and LeBron,” Lane said. “Christian Wood, plus LeBron, plus AD is a winning combination way more so than Jaxson Hayes, plus LeBron, plus AD.”
The Last Word
Wood’s remarks should make Laker fans excited despite the team’s dull summer. His track record last year combined with his “vengeance” mentality make him an ideal fit to be Anthony Davis’s backup over Hayes, though both will play crucial roles behind the All-Star center this upcoming season.
