KEY POINTS
- The Dallas Mavericks traded for Houston Rockets big man Christian Wood
- Wood is an effective piece for Luka Doncic to play around thanks to his versatile skillset
- Injury management will need to be Wood's main concern moving forward
The Dallas Mavericks have made a solid leap forward towards potential NBA title contention after acquiring Houston Rockets big man Christian Wood.
The details of the trade are as follows according to Shams Charania of The Athletic:
- Dallas Mavericks receive: C Christian Wood
- Houston Rockets receive: C Boban Marjanovic, G/F Sterling Brown, G Trey Burke, F Marqueese Chriss, 26th pick (2022)
Many fans and observers have stressed the need for the Mavericks to acquire a big man who can play big minutes alongside Slovenian wonderkid Luka Doncic, and Wood is all of those things and more.
Wood went undrafted in 2015 NBA draft and has had short stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelican and Detroit Pistons before ultimately finding his groove with the Rockets.
Fans had first taken note of Wood’s potential as a starting-caliber center in the league after putting up 13.1 points on 56.7% field goal shooting, 6.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks over the course of 62 games and 12 starts.
He would improve on his numbers upon joining the Rockets as he averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 boards, 0.8 steals, and one block per game in 109 games while only having 31.4 minutes of game time.
Pairing him up with Doncic is a Dallas fan’s dream come true as Wood has shown his effectivity in the pick-and-roll and even pick-and-pop situations because he also has a decent three-point stroke, averaging 1.2 makes out of 3.3 attempts with a career three-point percentage of 38.
The Mavericks practically gave up part of their depth and part of their end-of-the-bench guys in order to bring over Wood to Dallas, and owner Mark Cuban is showing how committed he is to surrounding Doncic with pieces to complement his play style.
Though the Mavericks are still in need of a reliable small wing player to take the place of Reggie Bullock as the starting small forward, there is reason to believe that this team will be a formidable team once the postseason rolls around.
Of course, this would entail Wood to be healthy as he has dealt with concerning injuries throughout his career, but backing up Dwight Powell would do wonders for his career.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd can play around with his frontcourt depth with Wood being the center and Powell as the power forward for a twin towers setup inside the paint.
Because Wood is on an expiring contract after signing a three-year, $41 million deal with the Rockets in November 2020, Mavericks fans can expect him to play hard every time he touches the floor as he will want to secure an even bigger bag in the 2023 offseason.
All in all, the trade is a net positive for the Mavericks as they look to make a run to the NBA Finals sooner rather than later.
Christian Wood #35 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on March 26, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. The Houston Rockets won 115-98. Photo: Alika Jenner/Getty Images
