We have less than one week until the Los Angeles Lakers host their media day and unofficially begin the 2025-26 season. As fans look around at past Lakers players that still haven't been signed to a team, Christian Wood is one name that jumps off the page. Is there any possibility he could retire?
There's no question that being a professional athlete seems to be a bit of a strange thing at times. You can be one of the greatest players on the entire planet, but there's still no guarantee you'll have a spot in a league as exclusive as the NBA, or NFL, and so on.
A lot of factors go into play when it comes to that topic. One variable that seems to be affecting Wood's situation is the issue of health and durability. Christian hasn't played in an NBA game since the 2023-24 season, nearly a year before he was waived by the Lakers back in February 2025.
That kind of long-term time off due to injuries is something that's going to make a lot of front offices skeptical about bringing you on board. Especially in Wood's case where he's had multiple surgeries on his left knee at this point.
Injuries have been rough on Christian Wood
It's also a matter of Christian's situation relative to the position he plays. For a big man who is about to turn 30 years old with a less-than-clean injury history, it's going to be tough for other teams to feel comfortable making a financial commitment to him.
When LA opted to let go of Wood and sign Alex Len, it was clear that they had a lack of confidence in either his ability to return soon, or in the significance his return would carry. Unfortunately, it just makes far too much sense for teams like the Lakers to lean more toward younger or healthier alternative options.
We haven't really seen a lot of credible rumors or strong public reporting that would indicate interest in Wood from teams around the association since his waiving. And frankly, even if he did return to the hardwood soon, there's no telling what this version of Christian Wood would look like.
No matter your view on Wood as a player, it's going to be hard for any guy who's taken over a year off to be mega impactful right away. It's still possible he might get picked up by a team in the weeks leading up to this coming season as a depth piece, but it's certainly not guaranteed.