The Houston Rockets have been a rebuilding team this year, focusing on the development of their young players such as Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, and Alperen Sengun. While the Rockets have been the worst team in the Western Conference, there is definitely some progress from their young players, and they have won their last 3 games.
One of the questions surrounding the Houston Rockets is the future of Christian Wood. Wood is only 26, but he doesn’t perfectly lineup with the Rockets’ rebuilding timeline. There are pathways for contenders like the Chicago Bulls to acquire him, and he’d certainly be a difference-maker on a lot of teams.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has recently reported that Christian Wood will “receive significant trade interest” and that the Houston Rockets are expected to “entertain offers”.
There is an expectation around the NBA that Christian Wood, who’s in the second season of a three-year contract, will receive significant trade interest and that Houston will entertain offers. Wood is only 26, so Houston could keep him, but he’s no sure thing to stay come 2023; one of the reasons he signed with the Rockets over other interested teams was to play with James Harden, and Harden is long gone. Wood can offer a lot more to a team with playoff hopes than he can to the Rockets.
Christian Wood is currently averaging 16.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 2.3 APG, and he is a great big man with floor spacing capabilities. There’s no doubt that acquiring him would improve almost any team’s offense, and he is definitely a versatile player. The Rockets could potentially get a solid haul in return and get more picks/players for the future.
At the same time, it’s easy to see how some continuity could benefit the Houston Rockets, and Christian Wood has thrived in his time there. It remains to be seen what the Rockets elect to do, and whether Wiid will end up being moved this season or later on.
