With two weeks to go until the NBA’s Feb. 10 trade deadline for the 2021-22 season, the Miami Heat are one team clearly monitoring the situation between the Houston Rockets and big man Christian Wood.
Given that Houston owns the worst record in the Western Conference and that a Wood trade could open up more minutes for promising rookie Alperen Sengun, many around the league are watching for a deal.
But that doesn’t mean that general manager Rafael Stone will accept subpar value, particularly for a 26-year-old who is still clearly young enough to be a key part of Houston’s upward climb in future years.
Per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report:
Miami has consistently been mentioned as a suitor for Christian Wood this week. The Rockets are searching for a sizable return for the skilled forward. So far, a framework of Duncan Robinson for Wood has circulated around the league, but Houston appears to require far more to part with their frontcourt centerpiece.
Robinson could be a part of any Wood package, since the two are on comparable salaries. But Robinson, who averages 12.1 points (36.6% on 3-pointers) and 3.2 rebounds in 27.7 minutes, simply isn’t the caliber of player that Wood is (17.4 points, 10.2 rebounds in 30.7 minutes).
To offset that gap, the Heat would need to provide extra compensation to Stone and the Rockets, likely in the form of future draft considerations. It remains to be seen whether they are willing to do that.
