With Jarred Vanderbilt (foot), Gabe Vincent (knee), and Cam Reddish (knee, amongst other ailments) out for extended periods this season , the last thing LA needed was a gutshot blow to Christian Wood, who has been ruled out for the season as he's set to undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Wood played just 17 minutes per game for LA, but averaged a productive 7 points and 5 rebounds. Off the bench, he was a solid depth/matchup piece that was able to score in a few different ways, contrary to Jaxson Hayes who is a lot more limited.
Wood's role down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs would've likely been limited, as he was insurance behind Anthony Davis. He offered some versatility in double-big lineups that could've been weaponized against teams like Minnesota or Oklahoma City, where size would be beneficial for different reasons.
Due to Hayes' inability to shoot, his running alongside AD is less effective than Wood doing so, which caps the Lakers' ceiling a bit.
This also may end Wood's tenure in LA, as he's on a one-year contract.
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