Christian Wood Talks Decision to Join LeBron James, Lakers: 'I Know' We Can Win Title

After signing with the Los Angeles Lakers on a reported two-year deal, former Dallas Mavericks forward Christian Wood expressed confidence that his new team will be a title contender this season.

In a statement to Andscape's Marc J. Spears, Wood said he's "always wanted" to be a member of the Lakers and he declared, "I know we can win a championship."

Wood is coming off a lackluster showing last season with the Mavs. He appeared in 67 games with just 17 starts and averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. All of those numbers were down from the previous season when he was a member of the Houston Rockets.

As he enters his eighth year in the NBA, Wood now has the opportunity to play in a star-studded frontcourt that includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He should see significant minutes thanks to his ability to stretch the floor. The 28-year-old has made 100 three-pointers in each of the last two seasons.

After a run to the Western Conference Finals last year, the Lakers will surely be motivated to chase a title in 2023-24. The addition of Wood continues a strong offseason that has Los Angeles projected to be one of the top teams in the league this year.