Report: Lakers Could Waive Christian Wood Or Cam Reddish

According to NBA reporter Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers could waive Christian Wood or Cam Reddish to create a roster vacancy.

The Lakers need to find another center after their trade for Mark Williams fell through. 

“The Lakers can still waive someone — Wood or Reddish would be the top candidates, team sources said — to create a roster vacancy to bring in another center,” McMenamin wrote. “L.A. still has enough room under the second apron to sign a buyout player, someone making less than $12.8 million with his previous team, for the rest of the season. ‘We will find another center path,’ a team source said. ‘The path is always there. We just got to put in the work to find it.'”

Williams failed his physical with the Lakers. He now heads back to the Charlotte Hornets, while Reddish and Dalton Knecht return to Los Angeles. 

Wood hasn’t played at all this season because of a knee injury. Meanwhile, Reddish has appeared in 31 games. 

The Lakers traded Anthony Davis and Max Christie to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic.

JJ Redick has been starting Jaxson Hayes at center since the blockbuster trade. 

“When he was in Dallas and I was in New Orleans my first few years, they kept trying to trade for me,” Hayes told ESPN. “New Orleans never allowed it. He was like, ‘Do you remember when we couldn’t trade for you?’ I was like, ‘Do you remember what I told you after every game I played against you?’ After every game I would be like, ‘If you ever need a big, I would love to play with you.’ Just because of the way he moves the ball.”

The Lakers are 31-19. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.

The entire NBA world can’t wait to see Doncic and LeBron James play together. That moment will take place tonight (2/10) against the Utah Jazz. 

It will be fascinating to see if Los Angeles adds another center. The NBA trade deadline has passed, so the buyout market is the only way the Lakers can acquire someone.