(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
NBA free agency started two months ago and most of the deals have been done.
But there are still a few players whose futures are up in the air.
One of them is Christian Wood, the big man who most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks.
For weeks now, we have heard that the Los Angeles Lakers are into the idea of signing Wood, but no deal has been agreed upon.
With the summer starting to wind down and training camps quickly approaching, why aren’t Wood and the Lakers seeing eye-to-eye?
According to Marc Stein, via Anthony Irwin, Wood is holding out for “the chance at a deal above the minimum.”
That is why negotiations between these two parties have seemingly come to a standstill, although LA still wants him.
Per @TheSteinLine, the Lakers maintain interested in Christian Wood but it sounds like he’s still holding out for the chance at a deal above the minimum. So no real change beyond the stuff I’ve talked about the last few weeks. https://t.co/Nz2pTV9hYe
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) August 7, 2023
One can understand why the Lakers want Wood.
Last season, he produced 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Mavericks, scoring a strong 51.5% field goal percentage.
Still, as their disappointing year concluded, it became apparent that Wood probably wouldn’t stick around when his first season with the team ended.
It wasn’t because of his point total but more because the Mavericks are trying to consolidate their funds and didn’t want to spend on another deal with Wood.
The Lakers would love a big man who can produce like Wood, but they want him for cheap.
They are offering only a minimum salary and apparently Wood is wanting more than that.
The question is if he can get it.
What other teams in the league are willing to pay more for him?
If Wood finds out that none are, he might come around and sign on the dotted line for LA before the season begins.
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