Lakers agree to deal with top remaining free agent

Jun 6, 2022; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka speaks before introducing head coach Darvin Ham at UCLA Health Training Center Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Even with less than a month to go before the start of training camp, the Los Angeles Lakers are still finding ways to make noise in free agency.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that free agent big man Christian Wood has agreed to a deal with the Lakers. Wood, a Southern California native, is getting a two-year deal with a player option in the second year.

As a 27-year-old big man who averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds a game for the Dallas Mavericks last season, Wood was the top NBA free agent still left on the board. In Los Angeles, he figures to have a clear lane to playing time as a complement for Anthony Davis in the frontcourt (with only the newly-signed Jaxson Hayes and the undersized duo of Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura to compete with).

The 6-foot-10 Wood gives up a little bit of size himself though, can be selfish with the ball, and was not always the best fit with his previous teams. While that might help explain why it took Wood this long to land a new contract, the Lakers feel that the former UNLV star is worth their wager.