I'm good with keeping Wood to start the season. I feel that Wood changed after the trade deadline passed....he tweeted he loved Houston prior to the deadline. So it's a matter of if Jalen Green and Porter being ok with Wood staying? I seem to remember Jalen tweeting about next season and playing "The Right Way" and many ran with that saying, it was a shot at Wood. Idk? I'd like to see Chet or Jabari on the court with C Wood and see Chet or Jabari providing help defense and Jabari or Chet getting help defense from Wood. It makes a difference having help next to you. Evan Mobley benefits from having Jarrett Allen and Markkanen next to him. Take Jarrett Allen out of the picture and the Cavs DRtg dropped to somewhere around 21st. If it's not working out....cut bait and trade Wood as early as Dec or the trade deadline. A playoff contending team will want him....easpecially if I'm correct and more teams turn to mixing in more zone D. I believe teams will try to copy the Cavs and Raptors model. Miami Heat, Warriors and Bucks also go zone at times. Bucks went out and got Ibaka at the deadline for 3 & D lineups with Middleton/Bobbi Portis. Warriors drafted Kuminga and Moody for future long wingspan usage. ________________________ Yes, I felt Houston could have made the Play-In tournament if they played right. Much of the season was meant to push trade values of Eric Gordon (struggled with plantar fasciitis days prior), House, Nwaba, Wood, Augustin, Theis. Do I feel the Rockets will make the Play-In tournament? Well I think the Rockets could have won 30 wins if they played correct, ran the complete Silas playbook like the Vipers did, shoot better from 3 in the corners. Adding Jabari or Ivey or Chet probably could get us to 35 wins or more. Spurs made 10th seed this season with 34 wins. Depends on who we draft and what moves are made.
I appreciate your optimism, there's nothing wrong with expecting best case scenarios to play out. My expectations are another win total in the 20's (possibly low 30's) and one more top 8 draft pick before a wild 2023-24 off season to put a playoff caliber team on the court in Green's 3rd season.
I would like another team to pay him for his next deal, after we get a good return for moving him to said team. While I'm not unaware of Wood's offensive skills, skills that @D-rock skillfully points out, it's Wood's defensive peccadillos and his self-centered play, no matter how oblivious he may be of his actions (or inaction) on the court that make me, far too often, grind my teeth and groan out loud during games. Yes, I want to move the fellow to a good home, but good home or not, move him regardless. For the good of our team, for his own good, and for the preservation of my teeth. I still have all of them, believe it or not.
Oh i want him gone as soon as possible and wouldn't be willing to pay him more then something like 3/20, but we won't get a good return for him. ANY 1st i'd take in a heartbeat
I see a similar turnaround to that of the Hawks of 19/20. That team was composed of many young players as well. Hawks (19/20): John Collins (2 yrs exp) Trae Young (1 yr exp) Kevin Huerter (1 yr exp) DeAndre Hunter (rookie) Cam Reddish (rookie) 20-47 (W/L) The next season 41-31 ____________________ I expect: Kenyon to shoot better from 3. Shot 37.4% (3P%) but only 2.4 (3PA) in his last 59 games Tate to shoot better from 3 Shot 33.3% (3P%) over his last 58 games on 2.6 attempts. Shot 25.0% (3P%) in first 20 games of season. Jalen Green to be 8 pounds stronger (at least). Improve on his last 32 games: 20.7 pts..3.1 Ast..3.4 rebs..75.5% (FT%)..39.3% (3P%) Porter continue as he did last 21 games: 19.5 pt..6.4 Ast..5.1 rebs..71.2% (FT%)..37.0% (3P%) Sengun improves on his 3-point shooting: first 21games shot 40.0% (3P%) and 21.7% (3P%) for his last 52 games Wood to play nicey-nice with his teammates. Have Jabari or Chet shooting 3's will allow Green-Porter-Josh C to carve up teams. The great offense (as Silas expands his playbook) being our best defense.
Things could play out that way, although there are still so many loose ends with Wall, EG, Wood on expiring deals. KPJ facing restricted free agency. Rookies and 2nd year guys still cutting their teeth. I reckon the team is another year, top 10 pick, and major FA signing or two away from being in the playoff conversation… but I hope your timeline is right instead of mine
Good question. He didn't do it at Duke, even as 1st option. Think he can do it with Rockets as 2nd or 3rd option?
Wood might be fine on a better team with more structure....that's not this team, especially if we get to draft one of the big men in this draft the last thing we need is a guy taking their minutes when we knew he isn't in our long term plans. It's going to drive people crazy if we draft Jabari Smith and he has to play only 20 mins because Wood has to get his 30mpg a night and then what about Sengun? No, draft one of these big men, let him and Sengun grow this season for the future, pick up a vet big to make up for their weaknesses and move on. I always think the Heat would be a nice fit if they miss out on whoever they are targeting. Maybe Riles imagines a poor man's Bosh and IIRC there was some rumored interest there. He'd thrive there I think, veteran guard play and enough defenders to make up for his weakness and one of the best coaches in the NBA? He just doesn't make sense for the team. Made sense when we have Harden but...I don't think he does anything for us outside of being a trade piece to trade for future assets or veterans should the Rockets want to make a run at the playoffs. Talented player, if he was 22 or something he'd be untouchable..but he's not, he'll be 27 next season so hard to imagine him taking another leap. What he is now though is a really talented scorer that does...little else. Teams certainly need that...but it's not like he's going to take a 6th man role on this team.
The only way I am good with keeping Wood is if we get Jabari or Chet and we run a starting line-up of KPJ, Green, Wood, jabchet, Sengun. Wood needs to become a spot up 3 pt shooter on offense and a long armed perimeter defender on defense. I also like the idea of cutting bait quickly if he hampers the play of KPJ or Green. The only one that should lose minutes in this scenario is Tate. All the starting line-up including Sengun and Jabchet, should be getting 30 mins a game minimum. If Stone doesn’t think Silas has the balls to stick to this philosophy then he needs to trade Wood immediately. Under no circumstance should Sengun or our 1st round pick suffer through another 20 min per game season.
I'm not saying you specifically; but can you see the silliness of people saying draft a shot creator......while at the same time saying we can't have Wood because any usage percentage by him takes away from progress by others. Majority of CF's seem want it both ways. The 3-pt capabilities of a Jab-Chet with Wood allows so much spacing for Porter-Green-JC.......but we have to reward Wood and Jab-Chet with some iso, post ups or PnR action sometimes. Just like Sengun getting around 7 post ups a game, I would allow Wood 6 iso plays a game. Addition of Jab-Chet opens up so much space for Wood to slice and dice as well. It's not exactly like Wood shoots like Westbrook or Wall.
Wood needs to be on a team where a star can get on his ass for not being a team player. We don't have that here and thus wood will always be a selfish me guy who wants to get his and not motivated to play team D or sacrifice for the greater good. That's the problem with Wood.
While he has some defensive issues, most of his defensive short comings are directly related to his poor attitude and lack of effort. If he gave the effort of even an average NBA player on the defensive end, he would be a highly coveted player. Instead he regularly refused to switch or pick up drivers, even when his teammates asked him to. He even mocked and laughed at Jalen Green a few times in game over it. Some of his defensive failings aren’t even reflected in his defensive stats because he doesn’t switch so it doesn’t impact his numbers. If he just would communicate and focus, he would be an above average defender because of his mobility and incredible length… Dwayne Casey held him accountable but Silas and the Rockets haven’t.
above average skills... below average work ethic... for an NBA player that is... I believe the dude has the ability to be star... but few in the world reach their full potential...
He's properly rated. Good scorer, solid rebounder, mediocre perimeter defender, bad post defender. At his age, I don't see him getting much better than this.
