DALLAS — Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison admitted in a post-playoff interview that Dallas’ desire to upgrade the frontcourt was “no secret” this offseason.
So clear, in fact, the Mavericks made a major trade Wednesday night — a week before offseason activity begins in earnest — to acquire center Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets for the No. 26 draft pick and four little-used reserves.
What’s still not clear: how exactly Wood will fit in the Mavericks’ lineup and with superstar Luka Doncic.
We won’t have clear answers until next week’s draft and July free agency unfold to dictate the new iteration of Dallas’ roster and overall player movement across the league and in the Western Conference.
But here’s an early analysis of Wood’s potential based on what we already know about his skill set and the Mavericks’ system.
Starter?
No slight to Dwight Powell, a core leader and energy-driver in Dallas’ rotation.
But Wood already appears primed to take the starting center spot.
Jalen Brunson’s pending free agency and Tim Hardaway Jr.’s continued recovery from a season-ending left foot fracture mean the Mavericks can’t fully project a starting lineup now.
But if the front office has its way, look for these five to open the season, one through five, respectively: Doncic, Brunson, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, Wood.
Offense
Wood shot career-high marks from 3-point range (39% on 336 attempts) in a career-most 68 games last season. That’s a higher percentage than all but one Maverick who played the whole season in Dallas last year.
(Finney-Smith hit 39.5% and Spencer Dinwiddie made 40.4% after his mid-February trade arrival).
That means Wood possesses some of the stretch-five skills and length that former Mavericks star big man Kristaps Porzingis did, but on a smaller contract and with fewer durability concerns.
Also a bonus for the Mavericks: Wood averaged 2.3 assists per game last season, which would’ve been fourth most on the roster behind the point guard trio of Doncic, Brunson and Dinwiddie.
Harrison and coach Jason Kidd have wanted to add more players who can create shots for themselves or others. While Wood won’t emerge as a primary ball-handler, his vision and options down low can help take pressure off Doncic and Co. and provide a new option in an offense the Mavericks mostly initiated from the top of the key.
No doubt Powell shined as a pick-and-roll man with Doncic, but his playing time and scoring average decreased significantly in the playoffs as more intricate attacks exposed his shortcomings as a shooter and defender.
Wood’s stats as a roll man last season — 1.2 points per possession on a 16.9% frequency — lagged behind Powell’s (1.42 on 28.9%), but Doncic will provide a massive upgrade in point-guard efficiency over Rockets starter Kevin Porter Jr., and Wood’s responsibilities will be more defined on a playoff-contending roster.
Defense
Doncic served as the Mavericks’ leading rebounder last season — 9.8 per game to second-place Finney-Smith’s 5.5 — and the workload became an issue, particularly in the playoffs.
Dallas trailed the Utah Jazz 135-97 on the boards in the three games Doncic (left calf strain) missed to start the first round and finished minus-154 in rebounding margin through the 18-game playoff run when the team had few options to help supplement Doncic’s energy and spacing.
Wood’s rebounding prowess — 686 total last season for 10.1 per game — should take pressure off Doncic and help the Mavericks challenge for more possessions overall.
He also logged more blocks (65) than anyone on Dallas’ roster.
While statistics on defense don’t always reflect Wood’s abilities as he’s never played a regular role for a playoff team, one of the knocks on the 26-year-old’s six-team, six-season NBA tenure has been inconsistent energy and engagement on defense.
Kidd and defensive coordinator Sean Sweeney’s system has proved to be transformational in production and buy-in.
Just ask Doncic himself.
Wood has familiarity with Sweeny from an overlapping 2019-20 season with the Detroit Pistons, and Sweeney is already familiar with strategizing for how to most effectively use a mobile big man with a similar skill set.
