Christian Wood is one of the most prominent names left on the free agent market. Wood’s stats last year, 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, would typically lead to an offer in the opening days of free agency. But nearly a month and a half into the 2023/24 league year, Wood remains on the market, with little more than minimum contract offers available. However, according to Heavy’s Sean Deveney, Wood has options.
While Wood could accept a veteran’s minimum offer (worth approximately $2.7MM for a player with seven years of experience) from the Heat or the Lakers, it would be significantly less than what he made last year: $14.3MM. According to Deveney, Wood has hope that a higher offer than $2.7MM will emerge but, at the very least, he has that minimum contract to fall back on if that doesn’t pan out.
“There is no reason for him to hurry, the roster spots are there and unless there is a chance the Lakers make a move to sign someone else, why not wait to see if something better becomes available?” a league executive told Heavy. “What if Miami makes the [Damian Lillard] trade and winds up with a little more [luxury-tax] space? They could make a better offer. Not a ton more, but it is not the minimum. That’s the wild card for [Wood].”
According to Deveney, the Lakers are viewed around the league as the favorite to land Wood but there are multiple routes for Miami to create more cap flexibility in a potential Lillard move. If the Heat wind up sending out all of their trade-chip major salaries, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, they could create more space under the $182.5MM second tax apron to sign Wood at a salary slightly above the minimum.
Even if not all of those pieces are moved, there are ways for the Heat to create space to sign Wood to a deal around $5MM annually, according to Deveney. Deveney says that if a trade involving Herro, Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic occurs, the Heat could look to sign Wood to the aforementioned $5MM.
Wood’s summer seems to have two potential endings, as of now, according to Deveney. If a Lillard trade occurs and the Heat wish to sign Wood, he’s likely Miami-bound. If a Lillard trade doesn’t happen or the Heat wish to fill out the roster with only minimum contracts, Wood would likely head to the Lakers.
We have more from Miami:
- While Miami is Lillard’s only reported preferred destination, it doesn’t automatically mean that he’s going to be sent there. Lillard could stay in place to open the season or he could be sent elsewhere entirely. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) makes the case for the other 28 teams in the league to make a trade for Lillard. Winderman breaks the other 28 teams in the league into categories. He lists 16 teams as already having their point guard of the future, three as being on different timelines than Lillard and four lacking necessary trade assets, leaving five other realistic potential suitors. Winderman lists the Celtics, Nets, Pelicans, Sixers and Jazz as the teams who could realistically make a move for Lillard. However, I wouldn’t count out the Raptors from making a move for the seven-time All-Star.
- Winderman, writing in a recent mailbag, argues that the Heat need to have three-point shooting insurance in the event that Robinson and Herro are moved. In that scenario, the Heat would have lost Herro, Gabe Vincent, and three-point specialists Robinson and Max Strus, in the same offseason. Cole Swider and Drew Peterson have the potential to turn into that, but both have currently just verbally agreed to training camp contracts. Winderman argues that keeping Robinson could be a priority, so that the Heat maintain some consistency with their shooters.
- In another recent mailbag, Winderman explored reader questions about potential obstacles that would cause the Heat to not make a trade for Lillard. A possible fine or other punishment from the league following their recent memo can’t be ruled out. Additionally, the Heat could be wary of sending out all of their young assets, such as both Jaquez and Jovic. However, Winderman doesn’t view either of those as legitimate roadblocks.
The heat haven’t been exactly innocent but Dame and his agent are guilty of tampering with their own trade request. The agent said and did some things that should bring a fine for sure. Maybe the agent gets more then a fine and fired!
Dame needs to own this issue by being professional. A professional will play where ever he is traded.
Profess his love ❤️ for the league.
Teams that should be involved for Dame or helping should be the nets and the jazz.
Portland is also being difficult which is why it’ll require more teams. Wanting 4 picks and two rookies slash young players. No teams is going to let the blazers cherry pick their roster. They may be stuck with Dame for awhile.
Timing is important but being realistic is too
Yet lebron can say what Lillard said plus more. Double standards
Lebron never said what Dame or his agent said to such specific such as…my client will not be happy and play for you. The agent must have been smoking weed and crack all at the same time.
No doubt a fine should be issued and agent fired because it actually hurt Dames chances helping him get to heat.
Nothing wrong with making a wish list. The issue was how they handled things from there.
Portland doesn’t want Miami trash. Insulting offer to both Lillard and trailblazers.
Not true. Portland just wants way too much.
Nets don’t need him. They are on a different time line. Dame only helps a team NOW. There isn’t a team out there. That would or could trade for Dame. To go for it now ….
Except Miami……
Celtics just retooled. Why would they want to redo team in a Dame trade. NO
Pelicans ???? really….. why
Sixers ????? what could they trade ????
Jazz ???? oh really, yeah they are so ready now …….. and especially after giving up players in this trade. Ridiculous
Raptors ???? And they will be so ready after a Trade. For what ????
Dame is better off in Portland. Than to go to Pelicans, Nets, Jazz, Raptors.
Celtics don’t want him. Sixers can’t get it done.
So it’s all about the Heat …..
Again, on point. Well put. All the faux outrage… for what? It was obvious from the beginning. Nobody else is getting Dame. He made it clear so that everyone understood the framework. I’ll even go so far as to say this is probably all orchestrated in coordination with Cronin and the FO. They don’t want to hold Dame back and he doesn’t want to screw his club. It is just going to take time for some team to figure out how they can get picks and young talent over to POR to facilitate this trade.
The nets are a great third team to any trade as they have a tpe that is large.
The heat may want Dame and vice versa but it doesn’t appear that portland wants to work with the heat the same way.
The jazz could easily benefit from Dame. No doubt that utah has a built in fan base. He did play college ball in utah at weber st.
The jazz could use a play maker and absolutely have the talent!
The jazz retooled very quickly. That is a team that can do damage with or without Dame.
Portland will just have to be where Dame is best for now because none of the nba teams want to shell out 4 picks. Lol
Think a super max just handicaps any team from making a trade unless it’s for another super. Teams love ❤️ over paying so they can hold their player hostage and at first the players says thanks
Not much sympathy for either player or team but that’s the deal. New cba says play fair.
The jazz being the best fit roster wise…won’t trade for him at the ask price nor at the price the heat willing to pay
If the heat give and the blazers get pissed
They can offload to jazz cap for cap. Jazz can give up collins and tht or ko.two players for one ☝️
Maybe jazz give up 3 players but no more. No picks.
I actually would rather see collins stay but the math don’t work unless giving up 3 players.
Much like heat then need a third team to take on say sexton.
I just think Dame is stuck in portland unless heat can get bold …. Heat need to avoid giving away everything. Not worth it. Nope
Underrating the Raptors doing a Barnes + contracts swap for Lillard. Scottie, Boucher, Thad, Porter, and Gradey D works salary-wise and package-wise. Great young PF they can instantly plug in, a sweet-shooting rookie wing, expiring contracts, and a decent plug-and-play forward they can swap at the deadline. Better than anything Miami can offer.
If they choose to keep Siakam, that’s a good move for Toronto. Actual shot creation and an elite 3pt threat alongside an All-NBA forward and an excellent wing defender? Add in that Poeltl is a great defensive center who can run plays and Trent is an instant offensive player, and they’re a home playoff seed instantly. Take some of the pressure off Siakam to create for himself, and he transforms into the 19-20 version of himself, which was amazing. And they can still sign some depth wings like T-Ross, Warren, Lamar Stevens, Stanley Johnson… good proposal for both teams imo.
I don’t believe Lillard is going to sit out if he doesn’t go to Miami. No way. He’s too competitive.
Wood thinks he’s a $30MM player rather than a $5MM player. How is he going to handle playing reduced minutes at a reduced salary?
Personally, I would not want to find out on another other than the minimum so you can cut him if things go south. The role he is looking for doesn’t exist anywhere in the league.
Hot take
Orlando scores more ppg than Duncan
Out of the family Robinson
Neither the Celtics nor the 76ers have the assets that Portland wants/will get for Dame.
The Raptors should be rebuilding, not trading for a 33 year-old.
The Pelicans could be an interesting destination, but a trade would probably have to involve Zion. I think it’s a good fit, but they might have to give up too much.
The Jazz would honestly be a cool destination. Dame goes back to where he played in college, plus we’ve seen that Utah can be very competitive if they’re not tanking. They have the assets, and if Ainge wants to end the rebuild this would be a very good way to do it.
The Nets are also a great destination. Trading for Dame would keep them competitive, and they have so many picks that it would please the Blazers.
But the Heat still makes the most sense. Chances are he’s in a Miami uniform by the start of the season.
Jazz would love ❤️ Dame but aren’t willing to pay what portland is asking. There is no team willing to pay what they really really want so it’s a stalemate. Portland will hold.
If portland willing to fold then jazz would be a nice option. Dame is all too familiar with utah.