West Notes: Mavericks, Christian Wood, Warriors, Klay Thompson, Kings

Mavericks

Center Christian Wood said he isn’t concerning himself with a contract extension right now, in an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Wood, 27, is in the final year of a deal that will pay him $14.3 million this season. Without an extension, he will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

“I guess we’ll see. I haven’t really thought too much about it. I want to win,” Wood said, via Scotto. “I’m not worried about a contract or an extension. I’m just focused on trying to win.”

He arrived in a trade with the Rockets over the summer, and now, it’s all about playing for a playoff team, he told Scotto.

“Individually, of course, I want to be an All-Star in this league. I think I have a good chance if I get the time and the minutes to show what I can really do,’ he said, via Scotto. “I think I can definitely make a case for that. I want to try to win as many games as I can. I want to get to the playoffs. I haven’t been to the playoffs one time in my career. I want to try to make a run in the playoffs.”

• Star guard Luka Doncic became the 10th player in NBA history to record a triple-double while scoring 40 in the Mavs’ road win over the Nets. He finished the game with 41 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

Warriors

Shooting guard Klay Thompson said he was hurt by Charles Barkley‘s comments that Thompson isn’t the same player since returning from knee and Achilles injuries. Barkley made the comments on TNT’s Inside the NBA.

“I tore my ACL and my Achilles in consecutive years, and to still help the team win a championship,” Thompson told reporters. “I mean, it hurt hearing that, because it’s like I’ve put in so much effort to get back to this point. It’s hard to even put into to words what I’ve had to deal with, and be the player I am today. 

“It’s like 55, 57 games in three years. Give me some freakin’ time. You always hear people say, ‘He’s not the same as he was prior to the injury.’ It’s like, duh. … I don’t know. It just hurt my heart hearing that.”

Point guard Steph Curry also indicated that Barkley’s comments were out of line.

“It’s interesting because certain guys kind of forget what their careers looked like on the backend,” Curry said.

Kings

• The Kings are 0-4 under new coach Mike Brown, their worst start since going 0-5 to tip off the 2019-20 season.
• Point guard De’Aaron Fox indicated they aren’t panicked yet, however. “It’s a long season, so you don’t want to put your head down after the first four games, but we know we have to turn this thing around and it’s as simple as that,” he told reporters.
• Forward Chima Moneke, recruited by Brown ahead of the season, has become the first player from UC Davis to check into an NBA game.