Can Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd get Christian Wood paid?

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was on the All the Smoke Podcast where he talked about his team losing Jalen Brunson in free agency. The Hall of Fame point guard discussed his excitement in getting one of his players paid, and how he wants to put his men in positions to be successful.

The Mavs front office was not willing to offer Brunson a four-year extension worth $55.6 million before Kidd arrived. The head coach helped the 6’1 guard break out in his fourth NBA season where he became a starter and the Mavs' second-leading scorer. Brunson got a four-year deal worth $104 million from the Knicks this summer.

Coach Kidd now has a new player to help get a massive payday after the Mavericks traded for Christian Wood. The 6’10 forward is a different player than Brunson, but he will be tasked with picking up much of JB’s scoring. Can coach Kidd get Wood a massive payday in free agency next summer?

What does Christian Wood need to do with the Dallas Mavericks to get a massive payday?

Wood is an NBA journeyman, who is about to play for his seventh team in eight seasons. He earned a three-year $41 million payday from the Rockets in 2020 after a breakout season with the Pistons.

The 6’10 forward averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game in Houston, but there are plenty of questions about how his production translates to winning after the Rockets were one of the worst teams in the NBA over the last two seasons.

Wood needs to improve his defense and maintain his counting stats while helping the Mavericks win games. It is a simple recipe for the 26-year-old to receive a massive payday, but his role will play a significant factor in his production.