The Los Angeles Lakers’ chemistry seems to be coming along just fine.
After a recent practice, Lakers star Anthony Davis took a moment while talking to reporters to take a not-so-subtle dig at teammate Christian Wood.
Wood was brought in in part to alleviate some of the need to have Davis play center this season – against his preference – as much as he was for his own potential production. But, as Davis put it, Wood will have to produce in quarters one through three.
“C Wood was talking a lot of stuff, and they was beating the purple team like 14-3 in a five-minute scrimmage,” Davis said via ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin on October 17. “And we came back, won 38-34. C Wood missed some big free throws. … Foul him on purpose. Game plan stuff. We know who won’t be playing in the fourth quarter.”
Davis was very clearly joking about his teammate.
He has previously noted how skilled Wood is and how beneficial he thinks the young journeyman will be this season.
BALL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE BIGS 💯
Wood is averaging 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 58.3% from the free throw line, and 25% from beyond the arc this preseason, per NBA.com. His three-point efficiency would be the second-lowest mark of his career while the free-throw efficiency would be a new low.
Christian Wood has Faith of Lakers HC
Fortunately for Wood and the Lakers, the preseason does not count. Wood also shot 37.6% and 77.2% from long distance and at the free throw line, respectively, last season. Despite an inability to stick with a team for more than two seasons in his career, and dubious circumstances surrounding his departure from the Dallas Mavericks, Wood has the faith of the Lakers.
Particularly that of head coach Darvin Ham.
Ham worked with Wood during their time together with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018-19. He said he stayed on Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka to sign Wood.
“I don’t know what happened in Dallas and that’s not my business,” Ham said, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape on October 13. “I know what he’s going to do for me and he’s done everything that I expected him to do up to this point since camp has been going on.”
C Wood vs everybody 💪
Wood signed a two-year, $5.3 million contract with the Lakers in free agency but had to wait until September 5 to find a landing spot while the Mavericks sought replacements. He has voiced his frustration with how things ended in Dallas. But the Long Beach, California native also called playing for his hometown team a “dream”.
Lakers Waive Trio of Prospects
The Lakers trimmed the back end of their roster, cutting a trio of prospects with the preseason nearing its close. They have to get the roster down to 15 players (plus up to three two-way contracts) at most before the start of the regular season on October 24.
The most notable was second-year guard Scotty Pippen Jr., a former undrafted free agent who appeared in six games for the Lakers last season, averaging 2.3 points and 5.3 minutes. He averaged 21.4 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals access 19 appearances (four starts) with the South Bay Lakers in the G League.
From draft workouts to Summer League, Scotty Pippen Jr. is hitting the ground running.
Los Angeles also cut undrafted rookie free agents Damion Baugh and Vincent Valerio-Bodon, the latter of whom is an international player from Hungary.
All three players were on camp contracts so the Lakers still have 14 guaranteed contracts.
That is one fewer than the maximum allotment. But the Lakers are nearly $1.3 million over the luxury tax threshold, per Spotrac. So they could opt to leave that spot open unless it becomes necessary to fill it.
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Lakers’ Anthony Davis Roasts Teammate: ‘Won’t Be Playing in 4Q’