Rockets: Christian Wood deal with Lakers kills multi-team trade idea

On Tuesday, former Houston Rockets big man Christian Wood landed with the Los Angeles Lakers, as the two sides agreed to a two-year deal worth $5.7 million. The union represented Wood's third team in three seasons, as he's bounced around in pursuit of a permanent landing spot. 

Wood was poised to get significantly more money in Houston before getting dealt to the Dallas Mavericks last offseason, as the Rockets were prepared to build around him and pay him potentially $77 million. Attitude issues eventually pushed both the Rockets and Mavs to move on from the talented big man, which is why the Lakers were able to nab him at the last minute.

In Wood, the Lakers are landing a formidable 3-point shooter who can play power forward or center. In addition, Wood provides another scoring punch for the Lake Show presumably off the bench (so long as he embraces a reserve role, which should not be assumed).

Wood's arrival in Los Angeles affects the Rockets, as it kills a potential four-team trade proposal that would've brought Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green to the Space City, while also sending out Kevin Porter Jr. to the Boston Celtics. All told, the deal would've looked like this:

• Dallas Mavericks get Buddy Hield and Robert Williams
• Celtics land Kevin Porter Jr., Miami Heat 2028 second-round pick (by way of Dallas)
• Indiana Pacers acquire Christian Wood, Payton Pritchard
• Rockets land Green, Hardaway Jr.

Christian Wood deal with Lakers kills Rockets' multi-team trade proposal.

The deal would've provided the Rockets with a sparkplug off the bench in Hardaway, who averaged 14.4 points on 38.5 percent from deep (7.7 attempts). The Rockets have seen up close and personal how productive Hardaway can be as two of his best games have come against the Rockets.

All in all, Hardaway has averaged 16.4 points on 41.1 percent from three in 24 games against the Rockets, including three 30-point games.

In the proposed deal, the Rockets were also set to land Green, a 22-year-old 3-and-D wing who just made 40.2 percent of his triples for the Mavericks in 2022-23. 

The deal would've been nice for the Rockets, as they would've only had to carry Hardaway's salary for the remaining two years of his contract, although Green is set to hit restricted free agency next summer. But it obviously won't be happening now, since Wood is off the market.

Oh well. On to the next.