After signing a three-year, $41 million contract with the Rockets last November, Christian Wood was a complete revelation in what was his coming out party as a legitimate frontline starter. Wood averaged 21 points and 9.6 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game, shooting 51% from the field and 37.4% on 3s. While he played in just 41 games because of injuries, his absence from the lineup in February and March was probably the greatest contributing factor in the team’s descent to the bottom of the standings. Indeed, the Rockets embarked on a 20-game losing streak immediately after Wood went down
As his team's best player at just 25 years old and under a cheap contract - $13.67 million next season and $14.32 million in the final year of the deal in 2022-23 - Wood seems like an ideal building block for the Rockets. But if you look at the franchise's rebuild as a several years-long project, holding on to Wood could become an issue since he'll be an unrestricted free agent as he's hitting his age 28 season.
The difficult question for Rockets general manager Rafael Stone involves the timeline. After selecting 19-year-old shooting guard sensation Jalen Green with the No. 2 pick in last week's draft, the Rockets don’t figure to be in contention for at least several years. Green, of course, should be the team’s cornerstone of the future, but will take some time to develop. Would Wood stick around beyond 2023 when he is in his prime? Had the Rockets been successful in trading up for 6-foot-8 point guard Cade Cunningham, Wood might have made more sense in the present. Cunningham, taken first by the Pistons, projects to be NBA-ready and to likely have an immediate impact. With Cunningham, the Rockets realistically could have eyed the eighth seed next season.
On the other hand, if trading Wood, the target would be — along with salary filler to make a deal work — young prospects near the start of rookie scale deals. (In this sense, a trade before the draft would have been ideal timing.) But two of Houston’s other three picks on Thursday night, Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba, have been lauded post facto as lottery-level talents. If that pans out to be true, the Rockets already have a glut of young talent and little need to make deals for more. They’ll need more top-shelf marquee young talent, but can wait for the draft for that.
Wood dazzled from the get-go, scoring 31 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in his regular season debut against Portland, in 43 minutes. He connected with James Harden in a variety of ways that Rockets fans had never seen from a complementary big man during this past era, running the floor, darting to the rim off the pick and roll, spotting up on the perimeter, and most importantly, creating for himself both off the dribble and in the post. Wood looked as if he had been built in a lab as the ideal partner to Harden, something observers had envisioned prior to his acquisition by the team.
Wood’s season underscores the point that the great tragedy of the Harden era for the Rockets truly was timing. Chris Paul, traded for at age 32 and oft-injured by his second season with the team, was acquired too late. Wood, who turns 26 in September, is a late bloomer was too early in his development when acquired. One wonders if a seasoned Wood might have convinced Harden he could win big in Houston and to just stick around. I always wrote that the Rockets’ biggest weakness had always been the lack of a front-court playmaker to relieve Harden when trapped in the backcourt by opposing teams.
Instead, Harden forced his way out, and now the Rockets have budding young player in Wood, who has just two years left on his contract.
Wood doesn’t have much mileage on his body thus far. If he’s willing to wait around through the rebuild, one could see him even having another four or five years of productive play upon the completion of his current contract. However, if there’s some thought internally that he might leave, this year would be the time to trade him. Wood won’t have the same value to teams next offseason with just one year remaining under club control.
A source close to Wood told me recently that he’s working hard to become an All-Star, focusing on every aspect of his game this summer. From what I saw last year, I have no doubt he can reach that level. The question will be how Christian Wood fits into the team’s long-term plans.
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Rockets may soon face tough decision with Christian Wood - Chron
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