THE CRUCIFIX: Cato: Wood isn't thrilled w/ his role...Will depart in the summer

[Jason Terry]

So, it seems to me that 
1) Wood is worth way more than his current contract to the Mavs if he continues to play at, and mesh with Luka at, his current level. Tbqh, Luka-Wood-SD looks like a contending core to me if SD stays healthy. We did it in one offseason. 
2) Wood really likes it here - comradery, fun, winning.
3) Getting him to sign the possible extensions would require him to fire his current agent and not hire another one, because it would be cataclysmically moronic at the market value he is going to establish playing here unless things go catastrophically south.

The questions that remain:
1) Can Kidd get him to keep off the grass?
2) Can he continue to play defense in such a way that he is at least not a liability (looking at you, friggin' THJ)?
3) Can he deal with adversity and play nice with Kidd and his teammates throughout the course of the season?
and far most importantly, the next three:
4) Do we have his full Bird rights after this season?
5) Is there anything in our cap structure that would prevent us from beating any free agent offer? (If so, how much salary would we have to dump? Is that where all of our freed-up future first rounders will end up next summer?)
6) Will Mark then pony up to keep him? Or will he swallow being burned in effigy by the fandom daily throughout the 2023-24 season?

Inquiring minds want to know. Bottom line is, if things continue as they are, Wood is worth KP+ money to the Mavs, and they'd be stupid not to do everything in their power to keep him.

4. Yes we have his bird rights 

5. it’s strategically important for us to not pay the tax next season. A max in-season extension would fit perfect almost. IMO, all our future firsts and tax paying years should be saved for the next big trade like what Cleveland just did(SGA, Dame etc). 

6. This is a big question. I think Cuban would feel like he must after Brunson. In fact, i would rather have Wood over Brunson for the same money Brunson just got. It’s a bad year for a team to let a player reach FA. To sign Wood to a market value contract after the stellar season he’s about to have would require moving THJ and probably Bertans too.