Resetting the Dallas Mavericks depth chart after the Christian Wood trade

Where does Christian Wood fit into Dallas Mavericks rotation?

Wood averaged 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 block in 30.8 minutes per game this season. The Mavericks finished 15th of 16 playoff teams in rebounds per game, and it was a clear area of need entering the offseason. Dallas found a stout rebounder that can roll to the rim and pop out for threes on the offensive end of the floor.

Wood is a career 38.0 percent 3-point shooter over 724 attempts. He offers Dallas a floor-spacing five that complements Luka Doncic. His defense must improve, but his struggles were more of circumstance than lack of talent.

The Rockets were an extremely young team this season. Wood was the oldest player on their roster to play 60-plus games. Lower that total to 50 contests, and only Eric Gordon was older than the 6’10 big man. Christian Wood is 26 years old. No matter how well he played, he was not lifting the young Rockets roster to the postseason, and the team’s defense was going to be poor.

The Dallas Mavericks are going to offer the 6’10 big man his first crack at postseason basketball, and his new team could bring the best out of him. He is also on an expiring contract, so Wood has millions of reasons to lock in and play his best basketball in Dallas.

Expect him to take over the starting center spot from Dwight Powell. The Mavericks have more moves to make this summer, but Wood is the favorite to be the team’s primary five in the postseason too. How does that impact the depth chart?