There could be some trouble brewing with the Dallas Mavericks as some issues are beginning to arise with the rotations that head coach Jason Kidd has been using early this NBA season. The player in the middle of the controversy is big man Christian Wood.
Wood was peculiarly absent from the rotation in the second half of the game on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets as he played less than two minutes in the fourth quarter. His usage in the second half is something that Wood said there have been no discussions about and he has no clue about how he will be used.
He has voiced his displeasure about it and would love to play more, but will continue doing whatever is asked of him. That is some real growth and development from Wood, who certainly deserves to play more based on his performance.
Wood is averaging 16.6 points per game, making 57.3 percent of his shot attempts overall and an excellent 42.3 percent from 3-point range. He is also pulling down 7.5 rebounds, as he is doing what he can to overcome his shortcomings on the defensive end of the court.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Christian Wood & Dallas Mavericks Updates
His usage is drawing the attention of some people around the league as well. One NBA executive that spoke to NBA Analysis Network shared their opinion on the situation, as they believe that Wood needs to have a bigger role.
“They traded a first-round pick for Christian Wood, and he’s an established starter in a contract year, yet they’re bringing him off the bench. That seems like a recipe for disaster, and they’re not handling it well already. From the games I’ve seen, they need him more on the floor with Luka Doncic. He’s their second-best player and is not close to being utilized that way.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Christian Wood & Dallas Mavericks Updates
It was a surprising decision when it was announced that JaVale McGee would be in the starting lineup, not Wood, out of the gate. While McGee has seen his role shrink, Wood continues to be deployed off the bench and producing when his number is called.
Looking to take some of the offensive load off of Luka Doncic’s shoulders, it would make sense to give Wood some more minutes as he is a very capable scorer. He was brought in partly to help replace the production of Kristaps Porzingis, who was clearly deployed as the team’s second-best player.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Christian Wood & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Why Wood has not received that same treatment, at least not yet, is anyone’s guess. This is a situation to keep an eye on as Wood could become a trade candidate ahead of the deadline if Dallas doesn’t make better use of him and comes to the realization that they will not be able to re-sign him in the offseason.
