Houston Rockets Receive: G Kira Lewis Jr., C Jaxson Hayes, G Tomas Satoransky, LAL 2024 1st Round Pick (via NOP)

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: F/C Christian Wood, G D.J. Augustin

If the Houston Rockets are to trade Christian Wood, they are going to need a ton of future value in return.

Wood is one of Houston’s top players right now and while he will be entering the final year of his contract next season, he still holds a lot of value to this franchise. 

Houston has shown no indications of wanting to trade Christian Wood, but at the same time, they do need to be thinking about his long-term future.

It is clear that the Rockets view their big man as an essential part of their rebuild, but he is going to see a ton of interest when he becomes a free agent in 2023 and the Rockets may not be able to afford to keep him. 

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Rockets ‘Open’ To Make Trade Involving Christian Wood

This is most likely where the Rockets’ “interest” in trading Wood comes from. The question of whether or not they will be able to keep him looms large over the heads of Houston’s front-office, hence why fielding trade offers for him is not a terrible idea. 

New Orleans definitely has a lot of future value to offer up given all of their draft picks and young talents. Kira Lewis Jr. and Jaxson Hayes are both former first-round picks and Houston could add on to their current draft picks with the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick they get in this deal. 

The Rockets would also be able to get out of D.J. Augustin’s contract both this year and next year by absorbing the final year of Tomas Satoransky’s deal. 

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Rockets ‘Open’ To Make Trade Involving Christian Wood

There is value to be had in a trade like this, but again, the Houston Rockets are not actively trying to move Christian Wood.

It would take a lot for them to give him up and this trade simply does not have what they want, nor what they need at the moment.