NBA Trade Rumors - A swoop for Christian Wood could put an end to the Houston Rockets' small ball experiment
The Houston Rockets crashed out of the playoffs with a soul-crushing loss to the LA Lakers in the NBA Western Conference Semifinals. After a win in the first game, the Rockets came down like a house of cards in the other four games and lost the series. Head coach Mike D'Antoni has left the team to test the free agency market, and NBA trade rumors surrounding their players have started doing the rounds.
NBA Trade Rumors: Will Christian Wood be a good fit with the Houston Rockets?
THe Houston Rockets went for a small ball experiment this season when they traded Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks and acquired Robert Covington from Minnesota Timberwolves. The team did well in the regular season, as they finished fourth in the Western Conference. However, things went south from there - the Rockets struggled to beat OKC Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs and then eventually bowed out in the semi-finals.
With the departure of D'Antoni, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey has been tasked by the owners to sign a new head coach. With a new coach, there is a good probability that the Texas-based team will also be looking to change their approach. This could mean the end of the small-ball experiment, and the Rockets might adopt a more traditional approach with a center in the starting lineup.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks could be Houston Rockets' only viable option to move Russell Westbrook
A candidate who might be a good fit in the Houston Rockets' style of play is Christian Wood. The Detroit Pistons center had a prolific year as he averaged 13 points, 6 rebounds, and a block per game. He shot 39 percent from behind the arc on 2.3 attempts, something the Rockets will take a note of.
Wood is the modern NBA big, who can block shots at the rim while hitting his three-pointers. In a team which has Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Wood will blend quite well.
According to NBA trade rumors, Wood will be a man in demand this off-season, since he's coming off his best year in the league.
The Pistons are one of six teams with cap space going into next season, and as The Athletic's James Edwards reported, they may not want to commit to what he’ll be asking for given their “newfound financial flexibility.”
It will be a great trade for the Houston Rockets, considering that Wood checks all the boxes in terms of profile and will come on a relatively low salary.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Head coaches Houston Rockets should target to replace Mike D'Antoni