Houston Rockets: The case for, and against, trading Christian Wood

The case against the Houston Rockets trading Chrisitan Wood: Ability

He’s really, really good. Defensive warts aside, Wood is the rare center who is equally as effective whether he rolls or pops after setting a pick. This keeps defenses guessing and enhances the play of whichever ball handler he’s sharing the floor with. Hypothetically, if the Rockets were to draft Jalen Green, Wood’s floor spacing would be a massive boon to an offense built around two aggressive, slashing guards in Green and Kevin Porter Jr.

More than just a secondary weapon, he’s even adept at putting the ball on the floor to create a shot for himself. He is a fringe All-Star talent, and if he doesn’t improve even an iota, that is likely to remain true for another four or five seasons.

Depending on the development of Kevin Porter Jr, whoever the team drafts with the second overall pick, and the rest of the young core, maybe that ends up mattering to a contending Houston Rockets. If, several seasons from now when the Rockets are ready to win, Christian Wood is the team’s third best player, that’s highly likely to be a championship calibre team. Regardless of any criticisms that can be made of his game, Wood is an overqualified third best player by any measure.