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I feel a Draft in here...

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Dankstronaut, Apr 16, 2022.

  1. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    Assuming with the top 5 guaranteed pick that we come away with one of the elite forward prospects. Banchero, Smith or Holmgren (in order of my preference). For this discussion my question really isn't which one do you prefer, more IF we were to get any one of them... shouldn't we move on from Christian Wood?

    Thought process:
    1. The Rockets just tanked their wheels off to be in position to select an elite prospect.
    2. The elite of the elite prospects this year are forwards.
    3. The Rockets biggest position of need is at forward.
    4. The Rockets will select one of the elite forward prospects.
    5. No one drafts at #1, #2, #3, #4 or #5 expecting that player to come off the bench. Even to come out of the gate struggling (like our own Jalen Green did) you expect that guy to play and at least grow over the course of the year.
    6. These elite forward prospects, for whom you've tanked and expect to start (if not play well) play the same position as Christian Wood.
    7. Christian Wood sucks at basketball.
    8. It's probably not as high as some people imagine (or as low, in my case) but Christian Wood has trade value. He can be a 20/10 player and is a good 3 point shooter. Someone will value that.
    So. Do you move on? I think you almost require it. Risk all that tanking, the chemistry, the flow of this rebuild on a guy who's playing for himself, his next contract, his own ego. I mean, he could walk and you get nothing.

    I almost don't even care about the return for Wood in trade. Accept someone else's bad contract for a veteran who won't get in the way.

    Guards
    Green, Porter, Christopher, Nix
    G/F tweeners
    Gordon, Mathews, Tate, Nwaba
    Forwards
    Banchero/Smith/Holmgren, Martin, Garuba
    Centers
    Sengun

    That's 12. Add Wall, the #17 pick and whoever we have to take back for Wood. 15.

    Preferred discussion points:
    • Do you agree that the time to move on from Christian Wood has come? If so, possible suitors/trade scenarios for Wood?
    • There's probably enough threads for 1st pick but best fit with Porter/Green/Sengun allowed. More interested to just assume it's one of the forwards 1st and talk about who at #17 could fit this scenario and make a difference?
    • How many wins is this roster worth? Play-in potential yes/no?
     
  2. steddinotayto

    steddinotayto Contributing Member

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    Short answer to your question: yes.
     
  3. Believe It!

    Believe It! Member

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    He should be gone regardless. IMO
     
  4. jcmoon

    jcmoon Contributing Member

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    um yeah. christian wood has done well for us. we bought low and now we can sell high! all he does is take touches away from green. green has the keys to our future, not wood. wood will be packed in a nice deal for a higher pick or another pick or player. you've done well christian. we had to deal with your drama, but it was worth it! still got the worse record. i will enjoy playing you in the future and exposing you. can't shoot free throws, doesn't want to bang. fools gold. he gives back what he does on offense. not worth a big pay day.
     
  5. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    “We love [Paolo Banchero/Chet Holmgren/Jabari Smith] and think they have a very bright future but Jae’Sean and Christian are pros, good veterans and will continue to start for us. [PB/CH/JS] will come in with Alpi and the second unit.”

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #5 J.R., Apr 16, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2022
    ElPigto, Nelly, mike2k132 and 17 others like this.
  6. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member

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    Did he really say that?
     
  7. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    LOL Come on, I thought it was obvious! No.
     
  8. xaos

    xaos Member

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    Should've traded Wood last off season and should trade him now
     
  9. studogg

    studogg Contributing Member

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    I agree with your premise of who needs to not play. The trading away is the more difficult aspect to accomplish without hurting your team building by taking on bad money.

    It’s easy to say someone will value Woods contribution as a 20/10 guy but we just watched a trade deadline pass where no one was knocking down the door to get him on a cheap contract under control for a year and a half.

    now he’s expiring. The concerns around basketball character and his ability to play winning basketball have only grown worse. As such - his value has diminished. He’s likely going to be an annoyance for us next year.


    wall is a sunk cost. We’ve already weathered the worst and he will be bought out before the season starts. Ride it out and free up cap for next year. He’s not hurting anyones growth.

    for Gordon - I’m not sure anyone covets him from other teams. Doesn’t feel like a guy driven by winning that will latch on to teams in a minimum deal chasing a championship. I could see this as his last year. Move him to the bench and keep him around 20 minutes a game.
     
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  10. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    I have a class action lawsuit ready to be filed if Christian Wood is within a 2 state radius of TX come the start of next season

    get him outta here expeditiously

    oh, and draft Chet
     
  11. Crashlanded19

    Crashlanded19 Member

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    Its sad that I really though he said that. That sound like something he’ll do.
     
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  12. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member

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    Glad it was a joke, thought it might be, but he has said so many stupid things that it made it a really good satire, especially with the photo.
     
  13. saleem

    saleem Contributing Member

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    I wouldn't mind OD as a Euro stash at 17, if he shows some toughness on both ends between today and draft day in practice and some games if he's still playing.
     
    BHannes2BHonest likes this.
  14. Imanimal

    Imanimal Member

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    Absolutely not….he is the best player on the team (like it or not) and is tall. Tired of you small ball lovers.
     
  15. roslolian

    roslolian Member

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    We dont know if people werent interested simply because the Rox didnt put him on the market. This is similar to EG who didnt get moved but had offers for him.

    For reference look at Sabonis he was able to get a stud like Haliburton. Wood isnt as attractive an asset as Domantas but you'd think he'd fetch a FRP at least. 20 10 forwards with rsnge all the way to 3 pt line and some shot blocking presence arent exactly common in the NBA. He's be amazing as a 2nd/3rd offensive option on a good team cuz of how efficient and versatile he is.
     
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  16. roslolian

    roslolian Member

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    He old (compared to Green and Sengun) and will be washed when Green is ready to compete.
     
  17. T for 3

    T for 3 Member

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    Wood's gotta be gone. We know who he is. He doesn't fit into future plans, or deserve any type of long term deal. Bye.

    Stone better make the right call. If Wood isn't gone I'll be very upset with the FO.
     
  18. studogg

    studogg Contributing Member

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    Everything I read indicated we shopped both and the return was not enough. We didn’t want another first rd pick in this years draft and teams didn’t want to give future picks. Raf knew that was his best opportunity to trade Wood so you know he shopped hard. He would have been willing to trade Gordon to a contender for a 2nd if Gordon wanted it. He chose to stay here.
     
  19. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Contributing Member

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    It’s still not a very good roster; we are a long way from being a winning team. But in terms of Wood, he’d be expensive to extend, and I think there’s some addition through subtraction anyway. His value to another team is much greater; he’s not a good fit with our team. We have very ball-dominate guards and we are worst in the league in defense. We can’t have a ball dominant big who doesn’t facilitate and doesn’t want to play defense against other bigs. He has elite scoring ability from almost anywhere on the court and there’s a market for that. Assuming we get one of the 3 bigs in this draft, and given the potential of 19 yr old Sengun, there’s really no future for Wood in Houston. If he was a better influence on the younger guys and showed improvement on the defensive end I’d feel differently. But as of now It would be wise to move him and get some real value -hopefully before or on draft night.
     
    #19 Aruba77, Apr 16, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2022
  20. JayZ750

    JayZ750 Contributing Member

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    Its probably blasphemy to say... BUT i love and hate all of the options, lol.

    My order RIGHT NOW would be:
    Chet
    Jabari
    Ivey
    Paolo

    I know this is insane to put Paolo 4th... i just don't see how a Paolo/Sengun frontcourt every gets you get enough defensively to win a championship, and im not sold on the "oh, trade one later" approach. Later when? 2 years, when JG is 3 years in and tired of losing?

    Also, I'd probably move Ivey to 2nd IF i knew they were moving on from KPJ, which i'd be fine with.

    I don't suspect I'll move off from Chet #1 but who knows. Ultimately i want to win a ring. I think a top 2,3,4 pick should be BPA and be the ultimately potential superstar/HOF type.... BUT i don't think that exists necessarily this year, and to the extent it does, I think Chet and Ivey are closest. Paolo can be incredibly good, but i can also see Tobias Harris or Blake Griffin for him (which IS incredibly good but not HOF level). Chet has the highest upside by far imo, and maybe even the highest in the last two years or three years... but also the lowest floor. I think the best player this year could be someone picked later in teh draft for all i know.

    All that aside, they should absolutely move on from Wood and EG. Wood this offseason FOR SURE. EG, whenever they can maximize value.

    It's time to start instilling a winning culture and Wood's defensive liabilities and the way he plays offense where he thinks he's the head dude make this impossible. Granted, next year's draft SHOULD be way better, but 3 years of absolute worst team in the league level play would be very grating, and pretty damaging culturally - these things seep into organizations and don't let go.

    I will root for any of the picks.
     
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