After injuries robbed the Lakers of some of their depth last season, the team hoped to get off on a better foot this season.
This is not a good start — center Christian Wood will miss the start of the season following having his knee scoped, the team announced.
Lakers forward/center Christian Wood underwent a successful arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee today. The procedure was performed by Dr. Kristofer J. Jones at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Wood will be reevaluated by team doctors in approximately eight weeks.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 9, 2024
Eight weeks would have Wood being reevaluated around Nov. 9, and if things go well returning soon after (or at least before Thanksgiving). The team did not provide details on the injury other than the fact that it was performed by Dr. Kristofer J. Jones at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Wood underwent a similar procedure last March and did not play with the team after that operation. Having a second one is concerning.
In addition to Wood being out, Lakers wing and defensive stopper Jarred Vanderbilt could miss training camp and some (or all) of the preseason as he is not fully recovered from a mid-foot sprain suffered last February, reports Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet. Vanderbilt’s status seems more up in the air than Wood.
Wood had impressive flashes last season — he’s always been able to score — but never fit completely with Darvin Ham’s system and averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds a night in the 50 games he played in. The season before that Wood averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds a game in Dallas and was mentioned as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Wood is bouncy and athletic but doesn’t apply that on the defensive end like coaches would hope.
The Lakers are trying to take some of the load off the shoulders of Anthony Davis (and some of the minutes off his legs), which means having Wood to start the season stings. It means more run off the bench for Jaxson Hayes to start the season. Davis remains the best Lakers center by far, but with Wood now out to start the season, other guys could get some small-ball run at the five, including Vanderbilt and LeBron James.
