Luka Doncic gets some help, let’s look at the deal specifics.
Rockets get:
2022 first-round pick (No. 26)
Boban Marjanovic
Marquese Chriss
Trey Burke
Sterling Brown
Mavericks get:
Christian Wood
For years I have thought two players in this deal were highly, highly underrate. The first being Boban, the 2nd Christian Wood. Now, Boban is nearly 34 years old and he was no the same player he was. I also understand they both come with some weaknesses defensively, especially in certain matchups. Regardless, when players put up the kind of shear per possession production and efficiency these guys have I’ve always been a believer. I’ve often wished to see them in bigger roles as they bounced around the league in and out of the Gleague or on the deep bench. When Boban got his opportunities, to start earlier in his career, he mostly showed up. When Woods actually got roles, he’s been a valuable contract.
People can point out that he’s started on losing teams, my response would be look at the rest of the team. He’s the bright spot and what he is able to do with more pressure put on him by the lack of what else he had around him makes it more impressive to me to score 18-21ppg. Now he will be going to a conference finalist with one of the best young players in the world who is a great passer and commands a lot of gravity. Things are only going to get easier for Woods.
To basically send a low first round and a bag of chips for one of the best value contracts in the NBA and a still relatively young player is a massive win in my eyes. In his 2 years in Houston as a starter he has nearly a 20 PER and .600 true shooting while averaging 19ppg 10rpg. For a 13 million dollar 27 year old player you can resign at whatever cost that’s a great get.
Wood can score, he makes three’s at nearly 40%, he’s just entering his prime, and he’s cheap. He’s 83rd in DRPM which is decent enough, It’s not like he’s Kevin Love on Defense, he rebounds and deters enough at the rim. That’s playing all his minutes at center. I think Dallas won the trade, but I do understand it from Houston’s point of view. He doesn’t fit their timeline, and they don’t want to have to pay him as a free agent next year. He also could help them win a few more games, and they aren’t to that point yet. A– Dallas vs B Houston
