Houston Rockets center Christian Wood is expected to be one of the most coveted big men on the trade market in the 2021 offseason. Wood signed with the Rockets last summer with the hope of teaming up with Russell Westbrook and James Harden in Space City. Unfortunately, Westbrook and Harden ended up demanding a trade from Houston, forcing the Rockets to undergo a rebuilding process.
The Rockets are yet to make Wood officially available on the trading block, but they are highly expected to explore moving him if they are presented with an intriguing offer.
Potential Trade Suitor For Christian Wood – Golden State Warriors
One of the teams that may consider trading for Wood this summer is the Golden State Warriors. In a recent article, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report included the Wood-to-Warriors deal on his list of surprising NBA trades that could actually happen in the 2021 offseason,
In the proposed trade scenario, the Warriors would be sending a package that includes James Wiseman, Kelly Oubre Jr., and the No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Rockets in exchange for Wood and Eric Gordon. Before they could push through with the trade, the Warriors would first need to convince Oubre Jr. to agree to a sign-and-trade deal to Houston.
Warriors Finally Get Frontcourt Help
The proposed trade deal would make a lot of sense for the Warriors, especially if they are serious about reclaiming their throne and reviving their dynasty in the 2021-22 NBA season. Wood would be a massive upgrade over Wiseman at the Warriors’ starting center position.
He would give them a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a monster rebounder, rim protector, and floor-spacer. Last season, he averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
If he continues to improve his game, Wood could fulfill the Warriors’ dream of adding a fourth superstar that would help Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green carry the team.
Eric Gordon Gives Warriors Veteran Sharpshooter & Sixth Man
Aside from Wood, the Warriors would also be acquiring Gordon in the proposed trade deal. Gordon may have dealt with numerous injuries in the past years but when he’s 100 percent healthy, he would be a solid addition to Golden State’s second unit.
"Adding Eric Gordon to the swap would give Golden State a proven shot-creator to lead the second team," Buckley wrote. "If the 32-year-old can put his recent injury problems behind him (63 appearances the past two seasons combined), he would inject the bench mob with a fiery three-point shot, slithery off-the-dribble attacks and some secondary playmaking."
Proposed Trade A No-Brainer For Rockets
Meanwhile, the proposed blockbuster trade should be a no-brainer for the Rockets. By sending Wood and Gordon to Golden State, they would be acquiring a young and promising big man in Wiseman, a two-way wingman in Oubre Jr., and another first-round pick in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft.
Pairing Wiseman with whomever they pick using this season’s No. 2 overall selection would enable the Rockets to lay a strong foundation at the start of the post-James Harden era. At 25, Oubre Jr. still fits the Rockets’ long-term plan, but they could also elect to move him for more future draft assets before the 2022 trade deadline.
