As the Brooklyn Nets navigate this offseason after the 2023 NBA Draft, they will have to figure out how to address some of their needs through free-agency. According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, Brooklyn’s top free-agent target should be Dallas Mavericks center Christian Wood because of the floor-spacing that he provides.
Wood, 27, is an un-restricted free-agent after spending the 2022-23 season as a member of the Mavericks. During last season’s campaign, Wood averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field and 37.6% from the three-point line.
Despite Wood being arguably the best big on Dallas’ roster, he started just 17 of the 67 games that he played in last season due to his lack of consistency on the defensive end. What has been evident throughout Wood’s career is that he can score the basketball and he can stretch the floor as an occasional small-center center.
It’s remains to be seen what Wood’s price will be in free-agency, but if he comes at a reasonable cost, he could be a important member of Brooklyn’s rotation next season. Here’s what Bailey had to say about Wood:
“Adding Christian Wood would address a lack of depth inside and allow Brooklyn to play a different style for portions of a game.
Over the last three seasons, Wood has averaged 18.1 points and 1.8 threes in just 29.3 minutes, while shooting 38.1 percent from deep. He’s dangerous enough from the outside to force defenses to pay attention to him at the three-point line, which will widen slashing routes to the rim for all the wings named above.”
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