Houston Rockets Receive: F Joe Harris, C Nic Claxton (Sign & Trade), 2028 First-Round Pick (BKN)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: C Christian Wood, G Eric Gordon
The Houston Rockets already control the Brooklyn Nets’ draft through to 2027. Why not make it one more year?
This trade should be appealing to both sides. True, the Nets will miss Joe Harris. He’s an elite floor spacer. At the same time, they acquired his facsimile in Seth Curry at this year’s deadline in the infamous James Harden deal. They’re acquiring another comparable veteran in Eric Gordon here. They learned to live without Harris as a rehabbed an injury this season. They’ll be fine.
Meanwhile, Christian Wood and his elite positional shooting ought to do wonders for Simmons. He’s the stretch 5 Simmons has never really had: though Embiid is a competent three-point shooter, he’s maximized on the low block. That tension won’t exist with Wood, who prefers to camp out behind the arc.
If the Rockets hesitate to do this deal, it’s because they’d prefer not to strengthen the Brooklyn Nets. After all, they own their picks for the foreseeable future.
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The return might be too much to pass up. After all, this team had the second-worst Defensive Rating in the NBA last season at 117.77. Nic Claxton, a versatile big who can defend in space and protect the rim, offers a great deal of help.
Getting one more pick out of the Brooklyn Nets doesn’t hurt either.
