2024 NBA Season

[danherbias07]

This is indeed a steal for the Lakers here, but I just hope that they should've offered him a bigger amount even if it is just a 2-year deal as they sure already do know his worth and he's not the kind of player who should they doubt first if he can be useful or not because Wood already showed his capabilities during his run with the Mavericks and Rockets where he was averaging very decently whether from the paint or beyond the arc.

Without a doubt, definitely a big steal for a big man who can shoot. What I am curious about is the agent of Christian Wood. Why did they let him sign such a small contract, there will be more teams that will surely offer him something. I am sure they are also not in a rush. Perhaps, it is Wood who wants to play with Lebron James even if he sacrifices his own 2 year salary.

With the Harden drama hanging over the Sixers, Embiid has come forward to say that he plans to stay in Philly no matter what happens with Harden. That seems like a positive development for them. They also signed Danny Green to bring him back to Philly, where I assume he will retire as he spent plenty of years there.

Ok, probably just to silent everything in the Philly camp as there has been a lot of drama on Harden again. So it's good to hear that Joel will stay at least for now and chase that ring for the them.

Probably. There is a lot of gossip coming out that James Harden is pulling out Joel Embiid as well so this will put a stop to all that gossip after he made that statement. But, this must be a sad day for him. Now, they don't know who is going to play point for them but I do believe Tyrese Maxey is getting better although not in the passing area. The 76ers should try focusing on improving him in that area because his speed is definitely amazing and that will help them achieve successful transition plays, he won't just lay it up by himself as he always does, there will be options once he knows how to look at his surroundings.

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[btc_angela]

With the Harden drama hanging over the Sixers, Embiid has come forward to say that he plans to stay in Philly no matter what happens with Harden. That seems like a positive development for them. They also signed Danny Green to bring him back to Philly, where I assume he will retire as he spent plenty of years there.

Overall, it was expected that Embiid wouldn't leave the 76ers because it looks like their management isn't stupid enough to let a current MVP go. As for Danny Green returning to the 76ers, I associate him more with the Spurs than the 76ers. At least because he was a more active and useful player with the Spurs. Besides, he spent 8 seasons with the Spurs but only two with the 76ers.

He has also a significant role in the Lakers championship run if I'm not mistaken, but I do agree that he started to be known as a great shooter when he was with the Spurs. And then he go bounce around the league, but still a very good contributor to the team that he landed. And so he can still be a good attention for the Sixers if they needed some clutch basket down the stretch.

For Harden drama, yeah, it might take a bit as everyone in the Sixers might be dragged down, or at least be influence in a negative way. And with that statement from their MVP, the concern might slide down a bit, until Harden is traded.

[Jating]

The Lakers have signed forward Christian Wood to a 2 year deal. Christian had a decent year last year averaging 16 & 7. I’m not sure how he’ll fit into the lineup but maybe he’s a little extra insurance in case something happens to Anthony Davis. Wood did dominate the Lakers in the Christmas game last year…

Good, I thought that he will be in the Warriors, but I guess Lakers is not that bad for Wood to be a destination team. Yeah, most likely it he will be some insurance for Davis, if ever AD got injured or something, at least there will be someone to cover the Center/PF department for the Lakers unlike last year.

Decent stat but he was not a impact to the Mavericks last year and I think he struggled with the rotation and chemistry with the players and it's good though that he has been released and then pick up by Lakers for a 2 year deal.

Maybe he is a slight downgrade from Davis (just a bit though). I mean, both can dominate the paint and can shoot from outside, so it looks like he can fit into the chemistry needed for the Lakers team to work smoothly. Davis' minutes need to be managed, as they cannot afford to miss him in the playoffs. So, having Christian Wood, who is known for his offensive skills, I think he'll shine with the Lakers. The advantage the Lakers have is their big lineup, so the defensive and rebounding liabilities for Wood may not be as challenging.

Christian Wood is not on the same level as Anthony Davis but at a minimum contract of just over $2 million next season, that's already a steal. His stats deserved a double-digit contract so this is another big achievement in terms of the Lakers' negotiating strategy. Wood is a good shooter outside and inside so he is definitely another offensive player to not take for granted. He is also in mid 20s which means he can still be developed, especially his defense.

The Lakers are really doing well this off-season with very good additions. And with Bron still playing at an elite level, this team will definitely give the top favorite teams a run for their money.

Yes, they are not in the same pay grade, and obviously he will be used as a back up for AD in case something happen to him. And so it was interesting to see him with the Lakers though, he didn't have a good playing time with the Dallas and really might not be a good fit for them.

But I do agree, they retain some of their core, and then trade or shift others and then give way to Wood to fill the gap for them. So it will be a different Lakers and hopefully Lebron can still perform at high level at his age.

[carlisle1]

The Lakers have signed forward Christian Wood to a 2 year deal. Christian had a decent year last year averaging 16 & 7. I’m not sure how he’ll fit into the lineup but maybe he’s a little extra insurance in case something happens to Anthony Davis. Wood did dominate the Lakers in the Christmas game last year…

Good, I thought that he will be in the Warriors, but I guess Lakers is not that bad for Wood to be a destination team. Yeah, most likely it he will be some insurance for Davis, if ever AD got injured or something, at least there will be someone to cover the Center/PF department for the Lakers unlike last year.

Decent stat but he was not a impact to the Mavericks last year and I think he struggled with the rotation and chemistry with the players and it's good though that he has been released and then pick up by Lakers for a 2 year deal.

Maybe he is a slight downgrade from Davis (just a bit though). I mean, both can dominate the paint and can shoot from outside, so it looks like he can fit into the chemistry needed for the Lakers team to work smoothly. Davis' minutes need to be managed, as they cannot afford to miss him in the playoffs. So, having Christian Wood, who is known for his offensive skills, I think he'll shine with the Lakers. The advantage the Lakers have is their big lineup, so the defensive and rebounding liabilities for Wood may not be as challenging.

Christian Wood is not on the same level as Anthony Davis but at a minimum contract of just over $2 million next season, that's already a steal. His stats deserved a double-digit contract so this is another big achievement in terms of the Lakers' negotiating strategy. Wood is a good shooter outside and inside so he is definitely another offensive player to not take for granted. He is also in mid 20s which means he can still be developed, especially his defense.

The Lakers are really doing well this off-season with very good additions. And with Bron still playing at an elite level, this team will definitely give the top favorite teams a run for their money.

Yes, they are not in the same pay grade, and obviously he will be used as a back up for AD in case something happen to him. And so it was interesting to see him with the Lakers though, he didn't have a good playing time with the Dallas and really might not be a good fit for them.

But I do agree, they retain some of their core, and then trade or shift others and then give way to Wood to fill the gap for them. So it will be a different Lakers and hopefully Lebron can still perform at high level at his age.

Good back up as he can also play both number 4 and 5. He was a good young prospect way back in Houston, but after
playing with the Mavs, he got limited minutes.

I think he can find his place with the Lakers, not a scoring machine but addition with their defensive arsenal, if he can adjust and find his place.

Maybe it will be a good season for him and for the Lakers. Only time can tell, though. We need to wait for them to play together and win games.

[Sanitough]

I think he can find his place with the Lakers, not a scoring machine but addition with their defensive arsenal, if he can adjust and find his place.

Maybe it will be a good season for him and for the Lakers. Only time can tell, though. We need to wait for them to play together and win games.

I doubt he will be so effective on defense. Christian Wood is known for his offense, averaging double digits in points per game. However, in terms of rebounds and defense, he isn't that impressive, so I think it's okay to have him, but we cannot really rely on his defense. Actually, if he were truly exceptional and his numbers spoke for themselves, he wouldn't be receiving a minimum salary, as the Mavericks might offer him a better contract.

[CryptoBuds]

I think he can find his place with the Lakers, not a scoring machine but addition with their defensive arsenal, if he can adjust and find his place.

Maybe it will be a good season for him and for the Lakers. Only time can tell, though. We need to wait for them to play together and win games.

I doubt he will be so effective on defense. Christian Wood is known for his offense, averaging double digits in points per game. However, in terms of rebounds and defense, he isn't that impressive, so I think it's okay to have him, but we cannot really rely on his defense. Actually, if he were truly exceptional and his numbers spoke for themselves, he wouldn't be receiving a minimum salary, as the Mavericks might offer him a better contract.

^ I actually have the same idea as Sanitough. Yes, he is probably not going to be very effective in defense. His defensive performance is not something that team should actually rely on. And even if they are thinking about playing him less, I don’t know if it is going to be the best idea. Maybe he will perform decent enough as a rotation player. But I think it is going to be foolish to expect great performance from him in the defense.

[OgNasty]

A lot of talk about Christian Wood and I agree it is a good signing, but I still don’t think he starts or even replaces Rui when it comes to minutes. Rui had a great season last year and I think Christian Wood will likely get garbage minutes in comparison. I still say he’s an insurance policy in case Anthony Davis goes down.

[dezoel]

Between Lebron, AD, Rui, Russel, Reaves, Vanderbilt and Wood, they actually have a pretty decent roster if you ask me. Their season depends on injuries of course, Lebron is 38 years old and he will be 39 somewhere in there, so he may lose some games, and also AD is prone to injury as we all know it.

But, if they minimize their injury and play during the playoff as well, then this team could make some big damage. I know that it is not really the best team in the league, I am not saying that they are going to be good enough to win the title, but at the very least they will make some dent, and maybe like conference finals or something. West has a few good teams that is for sure, but Lakers will be one of them this season without a doubt.

[wheelz1200]

A lot of talk about Christian Wood and I agree it is a good signing, but I still don’t think he starts or even replaces Rui when it comes to minutes. Rui had a great season last year and I think Christian Wood will likely get garbage minutes in comparison. I still say he’s an insurance policy in case Anthony Davis goes down.

It will definately be to give AD some breathing room along with the rest of the team.  The bench was short for them and showed during stretches last year when guys went down.  With Bron and AD on the wrong side of their careers they need depth to compete long term.  Wood at that price was a good play.

[arwin100]

A lot of talk about Christian Wood and I agree it is a good signing, but I still don’t think he starts or even replaces Rui when it comes to minutes. Rui had a great season last year and I think Christian Wood will likely get garbage minutes in comparison. I still say he’s an insurance policy in case Anthony Davis goes down.

It will definately be to give AD some breathing room along with the rest of the team.  The bench was short for them and showed during stretches last year when guys went down.  With Bron and AD on the wrong side of their careers they need depth to compete long term.  Wood at that price was a good play.

This would provably a good deal to Lakers knowing that Wood can give them a huge contribution inside the paint and can be a good back up for Davis. But the concern of the fans is his attitude since he's been tag as locker room toxic player so lets hope he will not the same and AD then also Bron can guide him since their roster is looking good already and they have high chance to take championship this season if everything goes well to them.

[Captain Corporate]

The reason why this was talked about so much is that it could be one of the biggest signings of the whole free agent period. I do not remember anyone who is as big of a name as this one, obviously Wood is not a superstar, not even an all-star if I am not wrong, but still, do we even have anyone else that was this big? Plus its Lebrons team, Lebron is arguably one of the best players ever to play this game, some say he IS the biggest name, and when his team gets a good player that becomes something important. This is why I think its quite important to the narrative of the league and everyone wants to talk about it, if he signed with like Dallas again, or Blazers or Hornets whatever, it wouldn't be this big of a news.

[danherbias07]

Between Lebron, AD, Rui, Russel, Reaves, Vanderbilt and Wood, they actually have a pretty decent roster if you ask me. Their season depends on injuries of course, Lebron is 38 years old and he will be 39 somewhere in there, so he may lose some games, and also AD is prone to injury as we all know it.

But, if they minimize their injury and play during the playoff as well, then this team could make some big damage. I know that it is not really the best team in the league, I am not saying that they are going to be good enough to win the title, but at the very least they will make some dent, and maybe like conference finals or something. West has a few good teams that is for sure, but Lakers will be one of them this season without a doubt.

I think that's why they took Christian Wood and that's to minimize the injury of Anthony Davis. If they can somehow get a good lead when AD is around then they can use Wood to substitute him and take his rest. This way, the Lakers could strengthen their Finals appearance one more time.
True, it's a solid roster so chemistry will be the only problem after adding Wood, but when it comes to the other players, I think last year already says it all. Even when they played for the play-in tournament they somehow appeared in the Conference Finals which is amazing.

The reason why this was talked about so much is that it could be one of the biggest signings of the whole free agent period. I do not remember anyone who is as big of a name as this one, obviously Wood is not a superstar, not even an all-star if I am not wrong, but still, do we even have anyone else that was this big? Plus its Lebrons team, Lebron is arguably one of the best players ever to play this game, some say he IS the biggest name, and when his team gets a good player that becomes something important. This is why I think its quite important to the narrative of the league and everyone wants to talk about it, if he signed with like Dallas again, or Blazers or Hornets whatever, it wouldn't be this big of a news.

True.
When Lebron James is part of the news it becomes a trend. Not arguing that he is one of the best in the league and also one of the biggest names. When it comes to attendance, punctuality, hard work, fewer injuries, strength, talent, and more, Lebron James is the name that will come out of my mind.
He is as tough as an old tree and I think one of the reason why he has so many fans that works the same way as him.

[yazher]

It will definately be to give AD some breathing room along with the rest of the team.  The bench was short for them and showed during stretches last year when guys went down.  With Bron and AD on the wrong side of their careers they need depth to compete long term.  Wood at that price was a good play.

More likely he will be given more minutes if he gives the right play and contributes positively to the team whenever they need him to give the star players some rest. nevertheless, this is a tough decision for the Lakers because it's obvious that lots of available players they can acquire this year but they choose him instead to take that role.

[Dave1]

It will definately be to give AD some breathing room along with the rest of the team.  The bench was short for them and showed during stretches last year when guys went down.  With Bron and AD on the wrong side of their careers they need depth to compete long term.  Wood at that price was a good play.

More likely he will be given more minutes if he gives the right play and contributes positively to the team whenever they need him to give the star players some rest. nevertheless, this is a tough decision for the Lakers because it's obvious that lots of available players they can acquire this year but they choose him instead to take that role.

If he can bring back the performance that once he had when he was still with the Houston Rockets, then maybe Christian Wood will be given more time to play. Or maybe he will be their Center and then AD playing the PF, so they can play at the same time, it will be good as well.

Or just to give AD some minutes in the bench and rest, while Wood do his thing. So there's a lot of upside on the Lakers side to get him. And as someone has said, it's a total steal for Los Angeles as CW still has a lot of potential, he is still very young.

[cryptomaniac_xxx]

The reason why this was talked about so much is that it could be one of the biggest signings of the whole free agent period. I do not remember anyone who is as big of a name as this one, obviously Wood is not a superstar, not even an all-star if I am not wrong, but still, do we even have anyone else that was this big? Plus its Lebrons team, Lebron is arguably one of the best players ever to play this game, some say he IS the biggest name, and when his team gets a good player that becomes something important. This is why I think its quite important to the narrative of the league and everyone wants to talk about it, if he signed with like Dallas again, or Blazers or Hornets whatever, it wouldn't be this big of a news.

Because as basketball fans, we still remember Wood not even in his prime with the Rockets and if I'm not mistaken, averaging 20++ ppg during that season and he become their man offensive weapon.

That's why it was a surprised that Houston traded him or let him go after that big season of his. And then in the Dallas, everyone expects that he will also be a factor and be the second man behind Luka. But he wasn't exposed that much, playing average and just another performance. Maybe with the style of coach Ham, he might thrive at the Center position.

[Kelvinid]

The reason why this was talked about so much is that it could be one of the biggest signings of the whole free agent period. I do not remember anyone who is as big of a name as this one, obviously Wood is not a superstar, not even an all-star if I am not wrong, but still, do we even have anyone else that was this big? Plus its Lebrons team, Lebron is arguably one of the best players ever to play this game, some say he IS the biggest name, and when his team gets a good player that becomes something important. This is why I think its quite important to the narrative of the league and everyone wants to talk about it, if he signed with like Dallas again, or Blazers or Hornets whatever, it wouldn't be this big of a news.

Because as basketball fans, we still remember Wood not even in his prime with the Rockets and if I'm not mistaken, averaging 20++ ppg during that season and he become their man offensive weapon.

That's why it was a surprised that Houston traded him or let him go after that big season of his. And then in the Dallas, everyone expects that he will also be a factor and be the second man behind Luka. But he wasn't exposed that much, playing average and just another performance. Maybe with the style of coach Ham, he might thrive at the Center position.

He definitely had a decent season with the Rockets, but the team is probably in a rebuilding mode, which is why he was released. I also believe he wasn't that healthy during his last season with the Rockets. Compared to his salary with the Lakers, that's very small, considering he received over $13 million to $14 million in salary during his tenure with the Rockets and Mavericks, respectively.

I think he really has to play harder and put up great stats with the Lakers, as his value has been declining. Considering he is still 27 years old, he still has a lot of time in the NBA.

[Maslate]

A lot of talk about Christian Wood and I agree it is a good signing, but I still don’t think he starts or even replaces Rui when it comes to minutes. Rui had a great season last year and I think Christian Wood will likely get garbage minutes in comparison. I still say he’s an insurance policy in case Anthony Davis goes down.

My honest opinion about why Christian Wood on why his contract is not that big is because the Lakers doesn't have any vacant position for him where he will be inserted directly to their line-up because he just cant' get Rui's position because Rui earned it himself but that doesn't mean that he, Wood, will just sit on the sideline waiting to be called as a replacement for Davis because he also deserve more than that but he should work hard to earn his position so that he can be one of the players in Lakers first five soon.

[LogitechMouse]

A lot of talk about Christian Wood and I agree it is a good signing, but I still don’t think he starts or even replaces Rui when it comes to minutes. Rui had a great season last year and I think Christian Wood will likely get garbage minutes in comparison. I still say he’s an insurance policy in case Anthony Davis goes down.

More of a back-up Center for AD. That's his role. When Davis is on the bench, he will be the one who will sub depending on the situations.

I agree that Wood has been a great piece when he's in the Rockets many years ago, and played well there, but ever since he got traded, he became a role player, and sometimes he doesn't even play. Like what you're feeling, Rui already had a terrific season since he got traded to the Lakers. Just imagine if the Lakers' roster after the all-star is what their roster is when the season started. I doubted that they will just be at the 7th spot at the end of the season. From 13th at the start, to ended the season at 7th. I will not be surprised if this current roster of the Lakers now will be a championship contender, and as for Wood, he will be the one replacing Davis if just in case he got injured, so this might be a good thing for him to showcase his skills.
Anyway, we don't hear anything anymore about Damian Lillard, and his trade talks. Any update on him? Where he will be landing at the start of the season? Will he stay as a Blazer, or he might get traded at the mid-season?

[Rampagoe004]

A lot of talk about Christian Wood and I agree it is a good signing, but I still don’t think he starts or even replaces Rui when it comes to minutes. Rui had a great season last year and I think Christian Wood will likely get garbage minutes in comparison. I still say he’s an insurance policy in case Anthony Davis goes down.

I agree with you. The small contract may have been due to the fact that from the start Wood was not competing with Davis as a power forward, but as a backup. The presence of Wood will allow Davis to save playing minutes, in order to maintain his physical fitness throughout the season.

[inthelongrun]

Between Lebron, AD, Rui, Russel, Reaves, Vanderbilt and Wood, they actually have a pretty decent roster if you ask me. Their season depends on injuries of course, Lebron is 38 years old and he will be 39 somewhere in there, so he may lose some games, and also AD is prone to injury as we all know it.

But, if they minimize their injury and play during the playoff as well, then this team could make some big damage. I know that it is not really the best team in the league, I am not saying that they are going to be good enough to win the title, but at the very least they will make some dent, and maybe like conference finals or something. West has a few good teams that is for sure, but Lakers will be one of them this season without a doubt.

I think that's why they took Christian Wood and that's to minimize the injury of Anthony Davis. If they can somehow get a good lead when AD is around then they can use Wood to substitute him and take his rest. This way, the Lakers could strengthen their Finals appearance one more time.
True, it's a solid roster so chemistry will be the only problem after adding Wood, but when it comes to the other players, I think last year already says it all. Even when they played for the play-in tournament they somehow appeared in the Conference Finals which is amazing.

The Lakers will be more about protecting AD and Bron from suffering injuries this season. The Lakers are not the best team in the NBA on paper right now but a single injury from the other teams' big stars can easily put this current roster at a championship level. They have deep experience and have good players in all their roles. I also expect Lebron to be given 30sh minutes at best in the regular season. Wood can play 4 and 5 and he is also a decent 3-point shooter that is enough to scatter the defense of the opposing teams.

The West is back as the most crowded with top teams in the NBA. Denver, Phoenix, and the Lakers are fully pumped. We also saw how dangerous the Pelicans are if they have a healthy Zion on the court. And I wonder if Ja Morant learned a lot and fully committed himself to the sport.