Mavericks reportedly interested in contract extension for Christian Wood

The Mavericks are interested in a two-year extension for Christian Wood for no more than $36M, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Wood recently became eligible to sign an extension of up to four years at $77M, but the team prefers a shorter commitment, sources tell MacMahon.

Wood is still finding his role in Dallas after being acquired from the Rockets in an offseason trade. He’s second on the team in scoring at 17.8 PPG, and he appears to have developed chemistry with Luka Doncic.

The Mavs were reluctant to give Wood major responsibilities right away due to long-time concerns about his defense and efficiency. But an injury to Maxi Kleber and a disappointing season from JaVale McGee created an opening for Wood to move into the starting lineup. He’s averaging 19.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in that role, and the team is 7-1 in the games that he and Doncic have both started.

But the original concerns about Wood haven’t gone away, MacMahon adds, and the Mavericks may not know for sure how reliable he can be until they see him in the playoffs. Dallas gives up 119.8 points per 100 possessions when Wood is the only big man on the court with Doncic, but the offense is compensating by averaging 121.9 points in that situation.

“I’m happy to be here. That’s what I’ll say,” Wood told reporters on Christmas Day. “The vibe is good. … I’m open to it.” However, he responded “I can’t answer that” when asked if it would take a four-year offer to keep him in Dallas.

If the Mavericks can’t work out an extension agreement with Wood, they run the risk of having him leave in free agency, just as Jalen Brunson did last summer. They may look to the trade market to get some value in return, and MacMahon notes that the team could have a difficult decision to make with the Feb. 9 deadline barely five weeks away.