DALLAS — As the Dallas Mavericks continue to play at a high level and creep toward the top of the Western Conference standings, a recent report said the front office would be willing to extend the team's recently acquired big man.
The Mavs are interested in a two-year, $36 million extension for Christian Wood, according to sources from ESPN's Tim MacMahon. He reported the potential extension Tuesday morning.
After starting the season on the bench and not being a part of closing groups, a mid-December injury to starter Maxi Kleber thrust Wood into the starting lineup.
Since that point, both Wood and the Mavs have played some of their best basketball of the season.
The Mavs (22-16) are on a seven-game winning streak, the longest since the franchise's 2010-2011 NBA championship season. Dallas is fourth in the West and only 2.5 games behind the currently top-seeded Denver Nuggets (24-13).
Since Wood became a starter, the 6'9" big man is averaging 19.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.
While the Mavs are reportedly interested in keeping Wood on a two-year extension, the 27-year-old California native is eligible to sign a four-year, $77 million extension.
The team's front office doesn't have to look too far back into the past to find a similar situation leadership finds itself in with Wood.
Former point guard Jalen Brunson spent his first four years in the NBA with the Mavs. However, there were multiple reports and rumors during his last couple of years with the team that Brunson would have been willing to sign a four-year extension with the team before making it to free agency.
In January 2022, Brunson reportedly went to the Dallas front office to discuss an extension — but the Mavs declined to do so, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
The team allowed Brunson to become an unrestricted free agent, leading to him leaving the team and signing a four-year, $104 million contract with the New York Knicks during the 2022 offseason.
If Wood isn't interested in a two-year extension or the Mavs decide to trade him this season, the front office would have to figure out this situation before the Feb. 9 trade deadline.