Lakers forward/center Christian Wood will be sidelined for at least two months – including likely missing the start of the 2024-25 season – after having another left knee surgery.
Wood underwent successful surgery on Monday, the franchise announced, adding that team doctors will reevaluate Wood in about eight weeks.
This marked the second time the 28-year-old big man has had an arthroscopic left knee procedure in the last six months.
After being sidelined for a month with what the team initially deemed “left knee effusion” (swelling), Wood had arthroscopic left knee surgery on March 19 and missed the final two months of the 2023-24 season.
The Lakers will play six regular-season games before Nov. 4, which is exactly eight weeks from Monday.
Wood is returning for his second season with the Lakers after opting into his $3.06 million player option for 2024-25 as part of the two-year, $5.75 million contract he signed with the franchise last September.
He averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game (50 games) in 2023-24.
The Lakers will open training camp on Oct. 1 and begin preseason play against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 4 in Palm Springs before kicking off the regular season against the Timberwolves on Oct. 22.