The Lakers released a former Dallas Mavericks player to make room for a former Top 5 draft pick. The ex-Mavs big man had not appeared in a game for Los Angeles this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been working diligently to build the best roster around Luka Doncic since acquiring him from the Dallas Mavericks last week. They initially attempted to trade for big man Mark Williams but had to back out due to concerns from team doctors about his long-term health, forcing them to find an alternative.
As a result, the Lakers turned to Alex Len, who was dealt from the Sacramento Kings to the Washington Wizards at last week’s trade deadline. Seeking a more competitive opportunity, Len was waived by the Wizards. Now, the former 5th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft will join Luka Doncic and LeBron James after seeing limited playing time with the Kings.
The Lakers needed to waive a player to finalize the trade, and they opted for forward/center Christian Wood, who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022-23 season. Given that Wood hasn’t appeared in a game since Valentine’s Day of 2014, it’s understandable why the Lakers, in dire need of a reliable center, decided to part ways with him.
Wood was arguably the first major misstep of Nico Harrison’s tenure as the Mavericks’ general manager. Harrison’s initial trades were relatively minor—sending Josh Richardson to the Celtics for Moses Brown and offloading Kristaps Porzingis’ contract for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, a move that helped Dallas reach the Western Conference Finals. However, his third trade, which involved sending salary filler, including fan-favorite Boban Marjanovic, and a 2022 first-round pick to the Rockets for Christian Wood, turned out to be a disaster. That season, the Mavericks failed to make the playoffs, partly because head coach Jason Kidd was reluctant to play Wood, and when he did, Wood underperformed.
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