Could Rockets Trade Christian Wood For Prominent Draft Pick?
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HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets have their eyes set on selecting Paolo Banchero with the No. 3 pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Banchero is one of three forwards who will enhance the Rockets' frontcourt production if drafted by the organization on June 23 in Brooklyn. And if Houston misses out on their top preferred prospect, there's a chance the Rockets could shift gears to either Chet Holmgren or Jabari Smith.
The draft selection of either forwards will indicate which direction general manager Rafael Stone is leaning in his attempt to enhance a team that went 20-62 last season. And the most significant could result in the jettison of Christian Wood.
Wood is the most significant enigma Houston faces entering the off-season. He could still be a cornerstone piece to the Rockets' rebuild as a 26-year-old big man, but Stone must decide whether or not to commit long term to Wood financially.
Houston has netted the league's worst record in back-to-back seasons. And when considering the number of games he missed due to injury, there could be some hesitation on why the Rockets may not want to sign Wood to a max contract.
But Wood has arguably been Houston's best player over the previous two seasons, which is an important factor Stone cannot ignore when weighing the pros and cons on re-upping the five-year veteran.
The 2022-23 campaign will still be a year of development for the Rockets. In addition to the desire to play their top draft selection, Houston will also have a dilemma when trying to find minutes for second-year big man Alperen Sengun.
As a player who averaged 19.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks across 109 games, The Athletic reported that multiple teams have inquired about Wood ahead of the draft.
There is a strong chance Stone could move on from Wood with his trade value set at an all-time high, while an exchange could bring back a serviceable draft pick.
This year's draft has three teams who fell short of their postseason aspirations with the Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets. Each of the three teams could be active in the trade market before the start of the draft, as their top priority lay in revamping their roster in hopes of keeping their respective All-Star guards pleased.
The Trail Blazers hold the No. 7 pick and may not be interested in waiting for a young prospect to develop — given the age of Damian Lillard. The Trail Blazers could trade their top draft selection to re-create a winnable situation for the 31-year-old All-Star, who missed 53 games due to an abdominal injury last season.
The Blazers need a No. 2 scoring option to pair alongside Lillard next season after the departure of C.J. McCollum in February. Wood's ability to put the ball in the basket could be the ideal choice for Portland as his screens could become a deadly combination with Lillard.
The same factors that would make Wood a trade target for the Trail Blazers would increase his chances of getting acquired by the Hornets.
A source told Inside The Rockets that Charlotte has an interest in reuniting with Wood. The franchise is still in search of a reliable big man they can pair next to LaMelo Ball and a talent who could help Charlotte advance past the play-in tournament next season.
The Hornets have a pair of draft selections they can utilize in a trade packet for Wood with picks No. 13 and 15. Either of the latter could be enticing for Stone to execute a trade. Wood played 13 games for the Hornets during the 2016-17 campaign.
The Wizards are a team who could use Wood's services in hopes of re-establishing themselves as a playoff-caliber team. But Wood's on-court traits may not blend while next to Kristaps Porzings. Washington holds the No. 10 pick entering the draft.
Wood has one season left on his current contract. Should Houston not extend or trade their leading scorer before the start of the 2022-23 campaign, the Rockets will risk losing Wood next off-season during free agency for nothing.
There is a lot the Rockets must consider when determining what to do with Wood. But answers could start falling in place soon — given that the draft is less than a month away.
