Did Dallas Mavericks make a mistake in trading for Christian Wood?

Christian Wood is playing a reduced role and is likely to leave Dallas Mavericks this offseason

Wood made 16 consecutive starts from mid-December to mid-January where he looked fantastic. The 6’10 big man averaged 20.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.4 blocks in 33.4 minutes per game, but the Mavs were just 9-7 in that stretch and were outscored with C-Wood on the floor.

He suffered a wrist injury in a loss to the Hawks on Jan. 18 that cost him eight straight games and his starting role. Since returning, he is averaging just 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 18.3 minutes per game.

The Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving, and their offense is no longer an issue. Dallas needs defense around their two superstars if they want to make a deep playoff run, and Wood offers little on that end of the floor. It has caused head coach Jason Kidd to put him back on the bench and limit his minutes.

Fans are upset about his playing time, and Wood likely is too. He continues to produce monster numbers when he is on the floor, but his time keeps trending down. The Athletic’s Tim Cato reported (subscription required) that Wood “will almost certainly depart this summer”, which makes a first-round pick for one season a steep price to pay. Can Dallas get anything back when he leaves?