Christian Wood expected to get "significant trade interest"

No need to trade him for less than a player who has the potential to be BETTER than Wood. Kuminga jumps out to me but there will be more guys who come available later.

That's the beauty. Wood just turned 26 and could theoretically meet a unique time line where we have guys who are currently 18-22 as the youth and guys who are currently 24-26 as the veterans. So you have what we know the FO values highly. Flexibility. Don't set anything in stone except that the team really needs Green to blossom and if Sengun continues to electrify that's even a bigger bonus. We have 2 potential franchise guys in them and then you have a guy who could be a borderline Allstar in KPJ and we have a guy who is a borderline All Star in Wood.


2023/24 is the season the Rockets need to win and guess what? That's the time where our young guys will have shown what they can become.

If they can all start to round into All Star esque (Year 3 is standard for the JUMP) form in 2 seasons you're looking at Sengun at 21, Green at 21, KPJ at 23 and Wood at 28. Then you have guys who I do believe will be at minimum valuable rotation guys in Garuba at 21, Christopher at 21, Tate at 28, Mathews at 28 and KJ Martin at 22. That's not including the guy who will be drafted this year hopefully in the high lottery.

There is a route where it works out without trading Wood, Tate or Mathews but if you decide one is too old for a rebuild, then all three are probably too old for a rebuild.

If the Rockets can somehow get Jabari Smith. He would slot perfectly into the rotation and I do think it would be time to consolidate some future picks to get a star to really start competing in the 23/24 season and completely screw the Thunder out of valuable picks.

 

That's kinda funny cause there for a while I was one of the few who didn't want to trade Wood .... But now have moved into the "you have to explore the option camp."

It really depends upon two things - what the potential return is and what his next contract looks like.


IF you can lock him up on a 4-5 year deal worth 25-30m per , I think that's a fair deal for both sides.
I don't see any value beyond that price point and I don't think I'm in the minority there.

If you can't get that type of extension done , I think you really have to consider offers ..... and if someone offers me the equivalent of 3 or 4 #1's I'd take it and add to the coffer for the day I ultimately pull the trigger on a major piece.

 

I agree with much of this. IMO, you don't trade Wood, Tate, or Mathews unless you are getting higher-ceiling prospects in return. In fact, I'd be really hesitant to trade any of them, period -- they are a great foundation, and their strengths are complementary. To me, you keep those three and let Green, KPJ, Christopher, and Sengun play heavy minutes -- one or two will break out from this batch I believe.

What's interesting about the contingent that is pro-tanking and pro-trading Wood for draft capital is they are often also the ones complaining loudest about Sengun's playing time. Do they really not see the major disconnect there? Teams that keep recycling assets for draft capital just end up with a bunch of young guys fighting for playing time.

 

I agree about flexibility but paradoxically the better we are the lower our draft picks become and thus our overall war chest. It will be hard to both get Jabari (who I love) and keep Wood, unless he gets injured for a significant time. We have stiff competition for the bottom.

If we trade Wood, I think the overall package making the Rockets better is more important than Wood vs player x. Frankly Jabari looks like a facsimile of Wood.

Either way it’s a risk… Rebuild by moving key vets/rotation players or building around them.

I just personally don’t think we have someone to build around yet and would rather keep building that war chest.

 

Great stuff @treyk3

 

Just like trading Harden for picks, the value wasn’t just the picks we received but our own picks that gained in value.

Regardless of what you think of Green, the #2 would most likely not happen without the trade for picks.

 

I haven't missed a game in 3 decades.


Do you even watch the Rockets Bro? ..... cause this reads like a Green Only Fan's twitter feed.
Jalen Green Game by Game Stats and Performance | ESPN


Green played 11 total minutes of the winning streak , his last action being against the Bulls. The First game of the streak. He had 11 points and was a -2 for the evening.
Bulls vs. Rockets - Game Summary - November 24, 2021 - ESPN

The game before that was a 108-90 loss to Boston where Green shot 2-9 (0-4 from3) and had 9 points and was a -25 for the night. Rockets vs. Celtics - Game Summary - November 22, 2021 - ESPN


Just for sh!tz and giggles , lets show just how bad Green was in those first 18 games with his plus/minus.


1 124-106 Loss Minnesota -37
2 124-91 Win OKC - +11
3 107-97 Loss Boston -12
4 116-106 Loss Dallas -17
5 122-91 Loss Utah -15
6 95-85 Loss LAL -7
7 119 -117 Loss LAL 0
8 123-111 Loss PHX -3
9 95-94 Loss Denver -11
10 120-107 Loss GSW -19
11 112-104 Loss Detroit 0
12 114-92 Loss Portland -18
13 115-89 Loss PHX -32
14 136-102 Loss Memphis -37
15 101-89 Loss OKC -15
16 106-99 Loss NYK -10
17 108-90 Loss Boston -25
18 118-113 Win Chicago -2


In 18 games he's been in positive territory Once and break even twice

In the game so many have pointed to as a break out game before injury , he was a net negative.

 

Plus/minus is a silly stat to use in a vacuum when evaluating a player. Luka is -3.8 for the year. I guess he's awful, huh?

 

LOL

Jabari Smith is a 4 that can also play 3.

Not a 5.

 

jabari is a mediocre nba player at best.... dont want mediocrity....

we have plenty of talent already now we need some continuity, chemistrying and developing!

 

They are pretty much the size/weight at their current ages, so Jabari still has room to grow. I believe Jabari already weighs more but I’m not sure how reliable the internet is on that.

I wouldn’t expect Jabari to come in the league and immediately be a center. But I’m not sure what you are seeing that would suggest a slightly bigger player wouldn’t be able to be a stretch/mobile center like Wood.

 

Play style.

Smith is much more comfortable on perimeter and shooting mid range.

Wood was always post player first with range.

Your analysis is surface level.

 

Curious how many times has Sengun been a net positive while on the court? He seems to get unconditional love around these parts and since +/- is the benchmark I wonder where he was in the same timespan?

 

We are in the absolute best trade position you can be in, which is when you literally have no need to do a trade. Someone overpays, great.

as @DRock has pointed out numerous times, winning seven in a row in this league is no small feat. You have to ask yourself if you really need or want to trade anyone at this point.

seven in a row…..KPJ and Green to be worked back into the rotation somewhere at some point, and two more first round picks joining the club in less than six months. Something special is brewing in H town.

 

Jabari Smith would be perfect for this team. I think he is John Collins with better on ball defense. I think he is perfect for Silas' offense as a Wood replacement.

 

You may be surprised.

-2.8 for the season.

Not bad for a rook.

His defense rating is what is pulling him down. And his offensive rating could be higher for someone with his skills.

 

So Jabari is drawing fouls on the perimeter? No. He has the handles, strength (right now at the college level), and touch in the post but that’s just not his main game.

I will agree he is currently better on the perimeter as he is shooting it very well.

I don’t really want to get into a “verses” discussion. Agree to disagree.

 

Daimion Collins could be another option later in draft.

 

I don't want to discuss poetry with you either.

Discussing basketball with you is painful enough.