When Nico Harrison traded a late first round pick and salary filler for Christian Wood this summer, most Maverick fans seemed to react with cautious optimism. Fresh off a run to the Western Conference Finals, Dallas was faced with a glaring hole at the center position. Outside of an overused Maxi Kleber, Dallas employed no playable playoff big men. Their interior defense and rebounding were badly exposed against the championship-tested Warriors. The hope was that Wood and JaVale McGee could combine to give the Mavericks a formidable interior presence.
Surrendering a first rounder hurt, but what were the odds that a player picked late in round one would be as impactful as Wood?