3 Lakers who are now playing for their NBA future

Christian Wood is playing for his NBA future

Christian Wood is currently injured so he does not have the opportunity to play for his future at this given time. But once he returns, the stakes are going to be high not just for the Lakers this season but for Wood and his career.

Wood does have something that Christie does not have in a player option for next season. No matter what, Wood can get paid next season by the Lakers if he opts into his deal. Even if the Lakers end up eating the cost and cutting him (or trading him), Wood will get paid.

But even if he is on the roster next season there is a world in which he never really plays. The same concerns about Wood's game from before he signed have resurfaced during the year as Wood is proving that he is exactly who we all thought he was.

Wood did not sign a deal with the Lakers until very late in the offseason and only could muster a minimum deal. That shows that there is not much interest in Wood around the league, so if the Lakers have no spot for him then there might not be a spot for him in the NBA.

Prominent players, especially big men, can get phased out of the NBA extremely quickly. Wood may have been a very promising offensive big three years ago but his stock has since plummeted. Now he has to do whatever he can to recoup that stock.