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Rui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers laughs on the bench with Christian Wood.
Christian Wood’s strings of bad luck ended with a “kiss of death” on Tuesday, Feb. 11, when the Los Angeles Lakers waived him to sign free agent center Alex Len.
An unsuspecting Wood replied to a fan on X, updating his recovery from his knee surgery.
Little did he know that his return from his knee surgery, whenever that is, would not be with the Lakers.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic noted that it was Wood’s third time encountering bad luck right after saying he’s nearing return from his injury that sidelined him since Feb. 14 last year.
“Christian Wood’s kiss of death on social media continues,” Buha said on his podcast “Buha’s Block” after the Lakers’ latest move on Tuesday. “The last two times he tweeted he was progressing and getting close to returning, he suffered a setback and then the third and final time he just said he’s progressing and getting back to returning, he ends up getting waived within about 30 minutes.”
Buha saw this Lakers move coming.
“I think it’s going to be between Christian Wood, Cam Reddish and Shake Milton,” Buha said on his podcast, “Buha’s Block” on Feb. 8. “I would assume more so between Wood and Reddish.”
“The only reason I would have Wood is if you’re confident he could return within the next couple of weeks,” Buha said. “If not, I really don’t see the point. Like, what is the point of keeping him? You need a big man now.”
A 37.2% career 3-point shooter, Wood would have been a solid stretch center option in JJ Redick’s small-ball lineups. Unfortunately, his lingering knee issues could not get him out of the woods.
Alex Len Ditches Pacers for Lakers
Len initially planned to sign with the Indiana Pacers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Feb. 8. But Len changed course after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade for failed physical exam, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reported on Monday, Feb. 10.
“There has been movement at the center position in the league since then, however, which could have changed the dynamics of his decision. For instance, the Lakers rescinded their trade with the Hornets that would have brought them center Mark Williams for guard Dalton Knecht and forward Cam Reddish among other assets and found themselves in the market for a center again,” Dopirak wrote.
Len was waived by the Washington Wizards after he was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies headlined by former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.
The 31-year-old Len averaged 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game with the Kings this season.
A 12-year veteran, Len enjoyed his best year in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks in the 2018-19 season when he averaged 11.1 points and 5.5 rebounds. But his production had fallen off the clip drastically and is now just considered a fringe player.
Still, the 7-foot, 250-pound center who was the No. 5 pick in 2013, adds depth to the Lakers’ thin center rotation.
Jaxson Hayes Picking Up the Slack
Len comes in as Jaxson Hayes‘ backup.
Hayes, a career backup, was suddenly thrust into a starting role since Anthony Davis suffered an abdominal muscle strain and was eventually traded for Luka Doncic.
In six starts since then, Hayes is averaging 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 steals while shooting an insane 82.1% from the field, mostly on dunks.
Hayes, a rim-running center and a vertical lob threat, benefitted most from the Davis-Doncic swap and the nixed trade for Williams. The new Lakers starting center is coming off a season-high 12-point performance during Doncic’s debut on Monday, Feb. 10, feasting on the Slovenian star and LeBron James‘ lob passes.