Christian Wood
It strikes Pistons fans in the heart knowing that one of the players they fell for this season could see his exit this quickly.
How realistic the possibility is remains to be seen, but we’ve already learned that at least one team plans on pursuing him this summer. Along with that came the multiple teams that inquired about him at the trade deadline.
Wood’s sheer brilliance down the stretch for Detroit put him on the map as one of the more underrated players in the entire league. His explosiveness at the rim and his length on defense causes fits for his match up.
What his next contract was shaping up to look like a few months ago versus what it looks like today are two separate things.
Before the Drummond trade, we saw glimpses of success from Wood during inconsistent minutes. After the trade however, he emerged as a top two scoring option for the Pistons and couldn’t be slowed down by any defenses.
In the final four games that may have closed out the season, Wood recorded a career high in points in three of them.
So we went from thinking he could see anywhere from $7 million to $10 million per year on his next contract, to now possibly $10 million to $12.5 million.
Detroit is likely going to have to make a sizable financial commitment to him if they wish to retain him as their featured big man. The fact that they’re the first team to give him a legitimate chance in the NBA, and the fans love him could bode well in negotiations.
They may be able to reach a mutually beneficial deal.
However, the demand for Wood is higher than anyone ever anticipated it to be, and it’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll remain with the Pistons.