3 Most important Mavericks roster decisions Nico Harrison must make in 2023

Do Dallas Mavericks extend Christian Wood or look to trade him before the deadline?

The Mavs traded their 2022 first-round pick to acquire Wood from the Rockets this offseason. The 6’10 forward averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game over the last two seasons in Houston, but the Rockets had one of the worst records in the league. Can Wood translate his production into a winning environment for the first time in his NBA career?

The Mavericks must find out quickly because the 27-year-old is in the final year of his contract. Wood wants a significant raise over the $14.3 million he makes this season, but Nico Harrison and the Mavs want to see how he fits and if his defense can hold up.

Dallas must decide before the deadline because Christian Wood will have some trade value. If things are not working out, can the Mavericks get a second-round pick and a role player from another team in February? Dallas should always be looking to make moves on the margins to improve their roster, and they will have to decide quickly if that means dealing Christian Wood.

The nightmare scenario for the Mavericks is Wood blows up this season, but for the second straight year, the team’s second-leading scorer leaves in free agency. Dallas must act quickly if the 6’10 forward proves he can help the team win and thrives playing off Luka Doncic. Stay tuned to see how it all shapes out.