His defense is even worse as a forward, believe it or not. Zero ability to defend in space, or navigate screens. Trying to win with Wood is like trying to win with 2022 Westbrook... Your team is doomed from the start.
This is the conundrum. Christian Wood sucks at basketball. Who's trading anything for him? Maybe he would be willing to join John Wall at home. 60 million to spend next season. 23-24 is going to be so very lit.
I will be absolutely ecstatic, and SHOCKED If a single team gives up a single item of decent value for Wood. I am all for basically dumping him before next year begins. He hurts our development more than words can tell.
The earliest that Stone trades Wood is next season trade deadline IMO. Stone considers Wood a foundation piece, he's said this multiple times. My fear is that Stone passes on Chet or Paolo because of Wood.
Have no fear Chet will be the starting Center and Wood will play his true starting position of Power Forward. Y
I think if you're lucky enough to draft Chet, then if possible you package Wood with the No. 17 and whatever filler is necessary (Gordon? Tate? A future pick?) to move up and grab a good defensive wing (Brown?). Then you would have addressed every position with top talent from the draft in just two years and that phase of your rebuild would be essentially finished. You use your remaining assets to build around that core through trades and free agency. If you happen to be really bad again next year -- no tanking necessary -- then you're blessed with yet another top pick. Holmgren/Sengun/Brown/Green/Porter
Chet is not a center either. Not until he gains at least 25 lbs. Unlikely for at least a few more seasons. I believe Chet's best position is stretch 4 anyway.
Chet is not a center either. Not until he gains at least 25 lbs. Unlikely for at least a few more seasons. I believe Chet's best position is stretch 4 anyway.
Article has Rockets taking: #1 - PF Jabari Smith Jr. #17 - PG Kennedy Chandler My draft based on order of picks in article. #1 - PF Chet Holmgren (picked #3) #17 - SF Tari Eason (picked #18)
Yeah, getting another guard right now is a sin. We have young potential 4 deep, what's a 5th going to accomplish? We need forwards/bigs. From that article, I'd give the few teams before a ring asking if they'd take 17 and one of Gordon, Mathews or Tate to land Sochan. Smith/Sochan would be a massive haul, fit right into a starting 5. Porter-Green-Smith-Sochan-Sengun has some pop to it IMO.
Because the Rockets do not see KPJ as the future PG on a championship team. Also not completely addressing the front court creates another highway to the basket next season. Making the team exciting to watch but with a bad record. You then address that fully going into 2023/24 season through draft/ free agency and/or trade.
You guys are being ridiculous. Wood is a net positive on the floor due to his offensive efficiency and versatility. Lots of players have become productive despite not being the best defenders including Laureen Markannen, Vucevic, Kevin Love, Brook Lopez, Domantas Sabonis, Tobias Harris etc. If he was on a good team like say GSW you'd see him shine and be a fringe all star candidate. The dude is shooting 39% from 3 on 5 attempts and 59.5% TS. Those are elite offensive nos and he adds 10 rebs and 2.3 ast vs only 1.9 tos. The kicker is he got the same raw deal as Jalen Green he got very little spacing and also never had a pg who could set him up all season long. So these offensive nos are actually on the low side on a good team with good defenders and good playmakers he could actually blow up even more. Y'all are trying to paint him as some kind of scrub and sorry but his stats say otherwise. The Rockets suck because they are tanking and CWood is our best player. But it doesnt mesn he is a scrub he just has to play on a team with much better players than him.
Regardless whether we get Chet or not Wood should still be moved since he is too old to be part of Rox plans. The front court should be Sengun/Bruno/Garuba+whoever we draft.
I'm ready to move on from Wood as well but with the numbers he puts up at his age we should be getting a good lottery pick back. But, I'd be surprised if we actually got that. I think there are teams with more of a set foundation that could use him better than us. Somewhere where it's understood that he's not the best or second best player. But, those teams probably aren't giving up lottery picks, if they even have them. I wouldn't be surprised if Stone actually decides to negotiate a favorable extension in the hopes that it increases his trade value later. I think Stone's focus is more on asset accumulation and preservation than wins, losses, and team chemistry. I'm expecting fans to grow weary of the losing and asset focus way earlier than it actually stops. I could even see us acquiring another 'Wood like' poor fit player as a trade asset within the next 4 years. We've just started The Process, expect disappointment.
We actually can still use another guard, but I do think Chandler is too small at 6'0 170 to play with Green long term. Let's look at our young pieces Porter / (NEED) / Nix Green / Christopher (NEED) / Martin (NEED) / (NEED) / Garuba Sengun / (NEED) That's where I see our needs, we can expect our top pick to fill one, and our #17 to be in contention to fill a backup position or a 3rd string spot behind a vet. In my mind, we have a need at every position except SG. If our FO thinks Ty Washington or JD Davison is the next Maxey, you go for it at 17, and fill in the needs in the frontcourt with stop-gap vets until we can find a core piece in FA/Draft/Trade in the future
I mean, you're kinda saying we need two starting forwards. Surely you don't think a 4th guard is a priority over that, especially while Nix seems capable. That 4th/5th guard spot is probably served better with a stop-gap vet signing. Plus there's Mathews and Gordon... No Tate?
