Los Angeles Lakers or Chicago Bulls could sign former University of Nevada, Las Vegas forward Christian Wood
The Los Angeles Lakers are close to signing former UNLV power forward Christian Wood. But the Chicago Bulls have entered talks to offer more money to free agents.
Wood, 6-foot-2, went undrafted out of UNLV. Since entering the league in 2015, he has played for seven different teams.
Wood had brief stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Hornets before establishing himself as a regular with the Detroit Pistons in 2019-20.
Wood signed with the Houston Rockets before the 2020-21 season, where he emerged as a potential All-Star and could post a double-double on a nightly basis. In two seasons with the Rockets, Wood averaged 19.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.
Wood served as the sixth man last season with the Dallas Mavericks following a trade with the Rockets. He averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds off the bench.
If Wood signs with the Lakers, he now has a chance to compete for a championship and play alongside superstar LeBron James. However, Wood will have to take a significant pay cut. Wood could make more money with the Bulls, but is still a long way from winning an NBA championship next season.
The Lakers can only offer the bare minimum
The Lakers last season was a tale of two different teams. They eventually traded point guard Russell Westbrook at the deadline, and he had been a major distraction all season. The role players around James and Anthony Davis have finally figured out how to work together effectively, and shooting guard Austin Reeves has become a fan favorite in tinsel town.
It looked like the Lakers would miss the playoffs, especially after James suffered a foot injury. Without James, the Lakers rebounded late in the season and qualified for the Western Conference in the 2018 playoffs with 43 wins. 39 records.
The Lakers locked the No. 7 seed in the first round and defeated the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies. In the second round, the Lakers once again became a disadvantage and defeated the No. 6 seed Golden State Warriors. The Lakers ran out of energy as they were defeated by the No. 1 Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. But it was truly a magical game for the Lakers as the seventh seed.
A player like Wood would bolster the Lakers' front line, and he could handle the more physical aspects of life in the trenches, reducing overall wear and tear on the injury-prone Davis.
The Lakers came close to signing Wood a few weeks ago. But the Bulls have a huge advantage and may surpass the Lakers. The veteran's base salary next season is $2.7 million, which is all the Lakers can give Wood.
The Bulls may offer Wood a higher salary
The Bulls went 40-42 last season and failed to secure a playoff spot after being eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Bulls have two superstar scorers in shooting guard Zach LaVine and small forward DeMar DeRozan, but only one goal, which is why the two met at different times last season.
LaVine and DeRozan were both the subject of trade rumors last season, but the Bulls retained their two scorers at the trade deadline. Center Nikola Vucevic was also mentioned in trade talks but signed a $60 million contract extension during the offseason.
Wood would be a great fit for the Bulls, who could use his rebounding skills. He will improve the Bulls' frontline defense and be a strong complement to Vucevic.
The outlook for point guard Lonzo Ball is bleak. Ball was supposed to return to the Bulls last season, but he struggled to get back in shape after multiple knee surgeries. Ball's career may be over and he may never play in the NBA again.
The NBA granted the Bulls a special injury exemption and a $10.23 million salary cap adjustment. This gives the Bulls the advantage of offering Wood a much higher salary than the Lakers.
The Bulls are a long way from winning the 2023-24 NBA Championship at +17,000 and are the fourth-worst team on DraftKings’ futures rankings. The Bulls have a +6000 chance to win the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks have won the Central Division title the past five seasons and are -290 to win their sixth straight next season. The Bulls won the division for the first time since 2012 with a +2900 lead.
The futures market before Wood heads to Hollywood
The Lakers are always a favorite to win an NBA championship, whether they have a chance to do so or not. There are Lakers fans all over the country. But players in Southern California tend to have deep pockets and aren't afraid to back their beloved teams by placing futures bets in Las Vegas, which tend to distort the futures market.
Although LeBron James has hinted at retirement, he won't be stopping anytime soon and is fully committed to the upcoming season. If he takes his impending retirement seriously, this could be James' last chance to win a championship in a Lakers uniform.
James has publicly stated that he wants to play for the same team as his oldest son, Bronny, who will play at USC next season.
According to DraftKings, the Lakers’ odds to win the 2023-24 NBA Championship are +1,200. They are the sixth-ranked team on the Futures board and have a +750 chance to win the Western Conference.
Following the Bradley Beal trade, the Phoenix Suns are favorites to win the top-tier Pacific Division at +160 odds. They lead the Golden State Warriors (+280), Lakers (+350), Los Angeles Clippers (+500), and Sacramento Kings (+1,000).James Harden requests a trade from the Clippers, and if the Philadelphia 76ers honor his request, it could impact their future.
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Source: www.casino.org
