Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

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Well, what does it say about the Christian Wood and Philadelphia, Christian Wood and Chicago, Wood and Milwaukee, Wood and New Orleans, Wood and Detroit, Wood and Houston... That's seven teams in eight years.

Jason Kidd is one seven organizations that didn't want him for even a second year!

That's not just bad luck or bad coaching. That player is a problem.

He's probably a difficult personality and teams would rather not deal with the headache he induces.

However, it's not like he assaulted his wife, was caught drunk driving or routinely blames his teammates and coaches for his failures.  We hired Jason Kidd as coach despite a criminal record and two previous stints as a failed head coach. 

As to Wood's history of team-hopping, I think some of that is disingenuous.  The first four teams he played for didn't retain him because he wasn't a good enough player to maintain a roster spot. He worked hard and became a better player then finally made a positive contribution as a backup in Detroit.  He was a pretty good success story at that time.  The Pistons chose to go into tanking mode though and didn't want a winning player going into that season.   Christian Wood's advanced stats that season were very positive in a limited role.

So, he went to Houston to play with James Harden.  He was good enough to receive around $14 million a year.   Then, Harden asked out and the Rockets then chose to tank as well.  He spent two years there on a team that was trying to be bad.

He finally comes to Dallas and I thought demonstrated a lot of talent.  I think he was clearly the second most talented player on the roster prior to the Kyrie trade.  I saw an undisputedly gifted offensive player.  I think he made a lot of mistakes on defense but was generally our best rebounder and rim protector.

I think he began to succeed at several times during the season only to have Kidd reign him in and limit his minutes.  Kidd openly called him out to the media.  

I think he was not treated well here and I do think it's bizarre to have a coach refuse to play one of his best players because he doesn't like him personally.  Coach Kidd is both a bad coach and a difficult human being himself.  

I don't have a great explanation for why Christian Wood doesn't have a contract yet.  It's likely some combination of perceived  attitude issues and lack of defensive awareness.

I think the defensive awareness could improve if he had another year on the Mavericks.  

I realize the Mavericks won't give him a second chance here. 

I'm just saying that I think they should.

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I think they signed Kyrie with full awareness that there’s an 80% chance they’ll trade him soon. Possibly even at this first deadline.

I think that with a good season of play from him, along with his decent contract, they’ll get more for him than they gave up, and I believe the package will be comprised of a little draft capital and a couple of players much closer to the new timeline they’ve set up with every other move made this summer.

In the meantime, I think they hope he can reign Luka in a little and teach him some things, and probably think there’s a chance this all comes together fast enough to make use of his presence here.

It’s a much better plan than I expected them to hatch. Realistic and hopeful.

I hope they don't trade him.  He's incredibly fun to watch.  I'm hoping he likes it here, enjoys playing in Dallas and helps lead us back into contention.