Lakers still eyeing this big man with ’personality issues’

This report echos the thinking of the Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike, who recently noted that Wood still seems to be the Lakers top choice to round out their roster "despite the defensive shortcomings and personality issues." 

Per Woike, there appears to be a disconnect between how Wood perceives his place in the league and how the rest of the NBA views him.

Wood, 27, is a California native who has bounced around the league throughout his career despite sound production. Undrafted out of UNLV in 2015, Wood has played for seven different teams over his seven-year NBA career, averaging 14.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. 

In 2022-23, his first (and almost certainly, last) season with the Dallas Mavericks, Wood was mostly delegated to the second unit, starting just 17 games. Over the two seasons prior, Wood served as a main fixture in the Houston Rockets frontcourt, starting 108 of his 109 regular-season games.  

If Wood is indeed in need of some humbling, he's about to get it. Coming off a three-year, $41M contract while flashing All-Star potential, Wood now appears on a crash course for a veteran's minimum contract. 

However, if he plays his cards right, he could quickly put himself back in line for a prominent payday by playing a complementary role alongside Davis and LeBron James in Los Angeles.