(Editor’s note: We are reviewing all players from the Houston Rockets who finished the 2020-21 season on regular contracts, i.e. not hardship. To access other reviews in this ongoing series, click here.)
Rockets Player: Christian Wood, 6-foot-10 forward/center, 25 years old
2020-21 statistics in Houston: 21.0 points (51.4% FG, 37.4% on 3-pointers), 9.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks in 32.3 minutes per game
Professional Experience: Five NBA seasons
Contract Status: Signed through 2022-23 season at approximately $14 million per year
The Rockets acquired Wood in 2020 free agency through a sign-and-trade deal with Detroit. It was a calculated gamble on an emerging talent who had yet to have a consistent role as a starter, which made some teams hesitant to offer major money (based on it being a small sample). That gamble paid off in a big way for Houston, with which Wood’s production was able to translate over a larger sample and role.