Washington Wizards: 3 still-available free agents to sign for the minimum

Christian Wood

The 27-year-old big man is a different profile than the previous candidates on this list. Christian Wood is more of a known commodity and an established NBA player. He is also a bit later on the age curve. However, now that it looks like his market is tight, there could be an opportunity for the Wizards to swoop in and land him on a value contract.

Wood is a very skilled offensive big man. He can put the ball on the floor, shoot from anywhere on the court, and make plays for his teammates. He is a great scorer and a productive player who has consistently flirted with averages of 20 points and 10 rebounds in a season.

Then why isn’t he a more in-demand free agent? The answer is on the defensive end.

He is short and slight to play center full-time. He gets pushed around easily, can’t guard in the post, and doesn’t have great athleticism to defend the pick and roll or protect the rim. He also doesn’t have the lateral quickness to play the power forward either. So, he is a positionless defender in the NBA, making it harder for him to fit on a contending team.

That would obviously be less of a problem if he were on the rebuilding Washington Wizards. He can space the floor as a career 38% three-point shooter and create shots for himself and his teammates. He would also have the opportunity to improve himself on the defensive end and revive his value around the league.

Wood would have the possibility to play big minutes and have an important role in Washington. This could help him improve his reputation around the league and get a team to trade for him at the trade deadline or next off-season.

If the Wizards can sign him for a contract slightly above the minimum, Wood could be an excellent trade asset.