Mavs acquire Christian Wood as the 6th man

The Dallas Mavericks had a pretty up-and-down summer, despite the fact that they appeared to have improved significantly on paper. Prior to losing Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency, the Mavs acquired Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets in exchange for the No. 26 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and a few bench players.

Although Wood is a definite boost for Dallas' frontcourt and almost the ideal pick-and-roll partner for Luka Doncic, head coach Jason Kidd said on Monday that Wood will begin the season as a sixth player off the bench. The fact that the Mavs guaranteed JaVale McGee the starting centre job in an effort to get him to join them in free agency is a major factor in Wood's decision to play off the bench.