Nick Crain | 1/10/23

Following a trip to the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Mavericks lost Jalen Brunson in free agency in a move that they felt necessary to stay competitive. During the offseason, Dallas then made a splash by trading for forward Christian Wood who was set to enter the final season of his three-year, $41 million contract. This trade, however, was a risk because the Mavs had to give up assets for a player that could end up being a rental. But as we reflect on it now, the acquisition of Wood has proven to be more than worth it as Wood has fit nicely within the team’s system. To put it into perspective, this season Wood is averaging 18.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest while shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc. More recently, Wood was added to the starting lineup which gave the Mavericks a huge spark as they quickly rose to the top half of the Western Conference playoff standings. As such, our Athledex platform has his real-time value to be more than $26 million this season. Once again, decisions need to be made in the Dallas front office. On Christmas Eve, Wood became eligible to sign a four-year, $77 million extension with the Mavs. Given that would be an average of just under $20 million per season, it’s clear that he would be well worth this type of deal. Marc Stein recently reported that Dallas has opened discussions on an extension with Wood, but would also consider a trade before February’s deadline if talks don’t trend in the right direction. As the season goes on, Wood gets better. He’s learning how he can compliment his teammates, but has also improved defensively. A floor spacer and rim protector, Wood has blocked nine shots in his past four games. He’s also knocked down 11 triples over this span. He grades highly in quite a few ProFitX roles, which goes to show how impactful he has been for Dallas this season. Simply put, it’s a no brainer for the Mavericks to extend Wood. Even if he’s not part of the long-term plans, this deal would be a positive return on investment and a tradable asset. Waiting until the offseason and risking him walking for nothing would be detrimental for the Mavs, who already lack trade assets relative to the rest of the league.