Should Blazers Sign Mavericks Big Christian Wood in Free Agency?

The Portland Trail Blazers will need to make some upgrades this offseason if they want to return to the NBA Playoffs.

Some of these moves will take place in next month’s draft or on the trade market, but others will be made through signing free agents.

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus reflected on Dallas Mavericks big man Christian Wood’s free agency and mentions the Blazers as a potential fit for his services.

Assuming the Dallas Mavericks bring back Kyrie Irving, they need to surround him and Luka Dončić with athletes, defenders and shooters.

Wood may be two of the three, but the franchise may look instead for more of a defensive presence. While he’s eligible for an extension through the end of June starting at $17.2 million, he may need to find a new home instead.

At 27, he could have suitors from the many teams with cap room, including two of his former teams—the Pistons (who need shooting) and the Rockets. If he can’t find a team with space, Wood will seek a team’s NTMLE in the $12.2 million range, such as that of the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets or Bulls.

Wood could be a unique fit for the Blazers. He could be a strong stopgap solution for Portland if Jerami Grant isn’t re-signed or he might be able to start alongside Grant and Jusuf Nurkic in the frontcourt. It would give the Blazers a larger lineup, but Wood’s defensive lapses might be a turn-off for Portland. That being said, he would help on the offensive end and give Damian Lillard some support in the scoring department.