New Charlotte Hornets forward Christian Wood excited to join team with playoff aspirations

Much as Christian Wood appreciated the opportunity the Philadelphia 76ers provided, he was happy to move on to a team more in win-now mode.

Wood, a 6-foot-11 power forward, signed with the Charlotte Hornets following a strong showing in Las Vegas at summer league. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in those games.

The Hornets’ front office approached Wood’s agent and signed him to a reported two-year contract with a partial guarantee. Coach Steve Clifford said Wood, 21, was brought in as a development player, so it’s likely he’ll spend parts of the season with the Greensboro Swarm.

Asked about Wood’s strengths, Clifford said shooting range out to the 3-point line and good dribbling skills for a big man.

Wood said the chance to play winning basketball and possibly advance to the playoffs was a big factor in his signing in Charlotte.

"I’m definitely happy to be with a team that has experienced a playoff atmosphere.” Wood said. “I would love to experience it this year. That was one of the big things that made me come here."

Wood went unselected in the 2015 NBA draft after averaging 15.7 points and 10 rebounds and totaling 90 blocked shots his final season at UNLV.

He played off and on last season with the 76ers, getting an end-of-the-season contract after playing on two 10-daydeals. He appeared in 17 games, averaging 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds for a team that went 10-72 last season.

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 2:24 PM with the headline "New Charlotte Hornets forward Christian Wood excited to join team with playoff aspirations."