Image Source: USA Today Sports
[Saba Sports News] Christian Wood, the Los Angeles Lakers’ center, sparked speculation on social media with a succinct three-letter post on X just before the Lakers faced off against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Wood’s post simply read “Lol,” an acronym for “laughing out loud.”
This came right after Lakers head coach Darvin Ham announced the decision to start Jaxson Hayes over Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis, who was out due to hip spasms, stirring speculation that Wood’s laughter was a reaction to being overlooked for the starting lineup in favor of Hayes.
Without direct confirmation from Wood, it’s speculative to determine the exact reason for his amusement. Nonetheless, the timing led many to believe it was a commentary on the lineup change. Prior to this game, both Wood and Hayes had started in only one game each for the season. Wood had been averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds with a 47.1% shooting efficiency in 18.1 minutes per game, whereas Hayes had played a more limited role, averaging 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game.
Earlier reports this month suggested that Ham might be facing challenges connecting with some Lakers players, indicating ongoing issues within the team’s dynamics.