When the Rockets chose to keep Eric Gordon at the February 2022 trade deadline, part of the rationale involved general manager Rafael Stone not wanting a draft pick late in the 2022 first round. Because Houston’s roster is already deep with prospects and future picks, there’s little incentive to acquire another mid-tier prospect without available minutes.
Thus, some around the NBA were surprised when the primary asset in this week’s Christian Wood trade was the No. 26 overall pick from Dallas. But it appears that was due to it simply being the best available value for Wood, as opposed to the Rockets genuinely wanting to add a third 2022 first-round pick to their roster for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
