The Lakers Should Be Interested in Recently Released Sixer Christian Wood

Christian Wood was released by the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday morning, and the Lakers should be very interested in the young big man

While being cut by Philly sounds pretty bad, the reality of the situation puts things in better perspective. Philadelphia was desperate to bring in veteran leadership in the form of Elton Brand, and with a roster full of young players, one of them was going to have to go.

As an undrafted rookie on an unguaranteed deal, not to mention the fact that the Sixers’ roster is already loaded with bigs, Christian Wood made the most sense to be released. This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have value to other teams, or even that the 76ers didn’t value his potential.

Christian Wood has been an intriguing player since college, and a question mark since going undrafted in last year’s draft. An athletic big man with range and handles, a glimpse of what Wood can do on the court is enough to make most basketball fans a bit curious.

That kind of athleticism in a big man doesn’t come around every day, and when paired with his ability to shoot the jumper it makes him an intriguing prospect. Of course, it also begs the question of why a player this talented would go undrafted in the first place.

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Similar to current D-Fender Robert Upshaw, Christian Wood was considered a first round pick throughout his final college season, but was ultimately passed on by every team in the draft. However, it seems that the skepticism regarding Wood centered around poor workouts and a questionable work ethic.

While the work ethic could continue to be a problem, the Lakers aren’t in a position to be picky with talented young players.

Since signing with the Sixers, Wood has played mostly in the D-League, where he averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the field. Meanwhile, in actual NBA games, where he’s received limited minutes, he has made four of his nine attempts from three point range, demonstrating potential in that area.

Wood’s athleticism and length are assets that could help him develop into a solid shot-blocker in the future, and his offensive skill-set is extremely impressive for a twenty year old. While their are definitely question marks regarding his determination and slender frame, it’s difficult to deny his potential.

Although Wood naturally plays the power forward, a position the Lakers already have a log jam at, his length could allow him to play the center at times, particularly if he gains weight in the future. Additionally, he could be a solid replacement for Ryan Kelly, who has continually disappointed at the NBA level, as a reserve big with some versatility.

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If the Lakers wanted to sign Wood to the active roster, they would have to waive a player of their own. With the deadline looming, it would make sense for the Lakers to waive one or both of Metta World Peace and Marcelo Huertas, opening spots for players like Wood or Upshaw.

However, if the Lakers don’t want to cut anyone, they should at least attempt to secure Wood’s services for the D-Fenders, where the team could be directly involved in his development.

While Christian Wood is not a player who will make big contributions for a team this year, he could develop into an effective player for a team willing to put time and work into his development. The Lakers should fit that bill perfectly, as this season has been a complete disaster for them thus far.

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Adding a young player with an impressive ceiling for nothing should be an opportunity that they jump at, as it’s one they may not get again.