Winning Could Ultimately Decide Christian Wood's Fate With Rockets
HOUSTON — Christian Wood has established himself as one of the finest big men in the league following a turbulent start to his NBA career.
Wood has averaged 19.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and a block across 31.4 minutes since joining the Houston Rockets in December of 2020. But his near All-Star production has not converted into wins.
Wood was not shy about letting the public know that the Game 3 match against the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners was the first baseball game he ever attended. But he also was vocal on what meant more to him when contemplating his future in Houston.
"I just want to win," Wood said prior to throwing out the first pitch during the Astros' 6-3 defeat to the Mariners on Wednesday. "I'm just focusing on winning games and getting to the playoffs. I haven't been to the playoffs yet in my career. So that's where my focus is."
The thought of finishing at the bottom of the league for the third straight season does not appear to be an appealing thought for Wood or several of his teammates. The idea of winning is starting to become a consensus objective within the franchise.
Wood believes that the Rockets can win more games next season, given the early start to their off-season workout program.
Since mid-May, several players have returned to Houston to begin off-season training a month after the Rockets finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 20-62 record. Among players spending the first part of their summer on the practice floor of the Toyota Center are Josh Christopher, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
Wood had not been in Houston before the series finale between the Astros and Mariners. But he did hold previous workouts away from the Toyota Center with many of his teammates who were in Los Angeles.
Wood's future in Houston remains one of the most prominent questions the Rockets must answer ahead of the draft and free agency. But his desire to help the Rockets convert themselves back to a winning organization is on par with his teammates and coaching staff.
"It means a lot to me, but it speaks to who they are,” Silas said during the unveiling of the renovations at the Moody Community Center on May 12. "I deliver the message and try to do it in a way that makes sense. I try to highlight the things they need to work on and also highlight the things they did well on this season.
"It's obvious that we need to get better, and the players that we have want that. There are not too many teams that have their players in the gym in May — especially the majority of their guys. We know what's ahead of us. And our guys are prepared for it."
Despite the chances of becoming more competitive next season, Houston's management could still prioritize developing their young talent over winning. The Rockets are entering the 2022 Draft with the No. 3 pick, and each prospect at Houston's expense (Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr.) plays the same position as Wood.
If winning is the top priority for Houston, there is a chance Wood could extend his career with the Rockets. Wood is eligible for a four-year extension with a projected yearly salary of $20.0 million — a superb price for a player who has become a hot commodity on the trade market.
But given that the Rockets will likely choose the latter in favor of their younger talents, Wood's days in Houston could be ending soon — despite the ongoing contract talks with management.
