Basketball Intelligence For 9/7/23
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
TEAM-SPECIFIC STORIES
BOS: Jayson Tatum: ‘I Want To Be an All-Time Great, I Want To Be Known as a Winner’
Jeff Goodman, The Messenger
HOU: Q & A: Cam Whitmore
Kelly Iko, The Athletic
LAL: Is Christian Wood the X factor the Lakers hope he is?
Dan Woike, LA Times
Inside the Thomas & Mack Center at the Las Vegas Summer League, two front-office employees from the same NBA organization wondered about the most talented free agent still on the board.
One a scale of 1 to 100, they were asked, how would they feel about Christian Wood, the big man with the smooth jumper and the rough reputation, signing with a team for the league minimum?
One scout quickly gave a score in the 80s, citing Wood’s undeniable talent and usefulness on offense. The other executive snickered. His number was lower.
“Zero,” he said.
While it’ll be Wood’s eighth team in eight seasons in the NBA, there are reasons to believe the timing is right for the partnership.
One, his role should be easier to accept after free-agency interest in Wood was muted despite the impressive skills and statistics. Two, the defensive problems can be somewhat mitigated by surrounding him with better defensive teammates than he had in Dallas or Houston. And three, there’s some internal confidence that coach Darvin Ham’s presence on the sideline and James’ leadership in the locker room can help keep Wood focused.
LAL: Signing of Christian Wood could free up Anthony Davis' game
Dave McMenamin, ESPN
MIA: How center Thomas Bryant can help Heat. And a look at where roster stands amid Lillard wait
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald
MIN: Anthony Edwards and Nickeil Alexander-Walker remain on the world stage
Jake Paynting, Howls And Growls
PHI: Sixers add a well-known face to the bench, but still don’t have a point guard. Or do they?
David Murphy, The Inquirer
PHI: Harden uncertainty complicates Sixers story lines
Gina Mizell, The Inquirer
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