3 Lakers that failed to meet expectations this season

Christian Wood

Another player added via free agency last offseason, Christian Wood joined the Lake Show on a two-year deal with a player option attached to the second season for flexibility's sake. The thought was that he would be an all-in-one solution for the Lakers at backup center after the team lost nearly all their options at the backup five from last season.

It is clear that Wood has not been a total negative, as his defense and rebounding have still been useful at times. But his overall impact has still been limited, and the Lakers have suffered as a result.

Last season, Christian finished in the top 10 for Sixth Man of the Year award voting while playing with the Dallas Mavericks. In 2023-24 with LA, he has averaged his fewest points since his 2016-17 season playing for the Charlotte Hornets. His rebounding average is his lowest since the 2018-19 year when he played just 12 minutes a night with Milwaukee and New Orleans.

Perhaps another year would do Wood well to build more consistency with his teammates. But as of right now, it is looking like the Lakers would not be faulted if they chose to go in a different direction while their championship window is still theoretically open.