Philadelphia 76ers: A former Process member is on the trade block

Christian Wood had been a member of the Philadelphia 76ers for 17 games during the 2015-16 NBA season.

A UDFA big man out of the UNLV, Wood initially signed with the Sixers in September of 2015 following a summer stint with the Houston Rockets, where he appeared in 14 games between October 28th and January 2nd before being waived by the team to free up a roster spot for, get this, Elton Brand.

From there, Wood was acquired by the then-Delaware 87ers of the then-D-League, before signing a pair of 10-day contracts with the Sixers in March of 2016 and ultimately securing a deal for the remainder of the season on April 7th.

All in all, Wood scored 61 points in 145 minutes of action while hitting 22-53 from the field, 4-11 from beyond the arc, and amassing 38 total rebounds, seven blocks, and five steals.

Elite numbers? Hardly, but they were good enough for Wood to earn another run with the Sixers in the Summer League and another NBA contract with the Charlotte Hornets for the 2016–2017 season.

Fast forward to the winter of 2020, and Wood was one of the most in-demand free agents in the NBA after an incredibly successful season with the Detroit Pistons. Initially acquired as a waiver wire claim via the New Orleans Pelicans, Woods was the best value versus production player on a non-rookie contract in the NBA, averaging 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and .9 blocks per game in 21.4 minutes of action, while proving that his eight games of good action for the Pelicans in 2018-19 was no fluke.

Will Wood’s path bring him back to the Philadelphia 76ers? Probably not.

With his contract set to expire and the Detroit Pistons opting to instead sign fellow Process player Jerami Grant overextending a complimentary big man who could leave on his own free will for no compensation, Christian Wood was sign-and-traded to the Houston Rockets in November of 2020 for Trevor Ariza(‘s contract), a second-round pick, cash, and the draft right to Isaiah Stewart, in the hopes of being James Harden’s next great pick-and-roll partner.

… except, Harden, too, was traded less than two months later, so really, Wood became Victor Oladipo’s pick-and-roll partner… until he too was traded, so really, Wood became Kevin
Porter Jr.’s pick-and-roll partner.

Sidebar: Do you remember when John Wall actually played for the Houston Rockets? Good times.

With Houston desperately on the lookout for ways to offload veterans and free up playing time for young players like Alperen Şengün, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports that general manager Rafael Stone would not only listen to trade offers for Wood – and, for what its worth, Daniel Theis too – but could actually move off of the 26-year-old big man for good-to-very good compensation, say pick(s), cap filler, and a young player.

Alright, cool, cool. Wood cut his teeth as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, he’s a good rebounder – which is rare for players on this team not named Joel Embiid, Andre Drummond, or Paul Reed – and the team hasn’t issued his old number, 35, out of a sign of respect for those 17 games half a decade ago. Fire up the phone line, Daryl Morey; you obviously know the number, and let’s bring another Process player back to the City of Brotherly Love.

Or don’t, because it just doesn’t make any darn sense from an asset allocation standpoint.

Now sure, in a world without a salary cap, unlimited roster spots, and an ability to sign-and-trade for a player without exchanging just compensation, the idea of Wood on the court with Embiid is at least intriguing. While he didn’t really come into his own with the Pistons until they traded away Andre Drummond and played him at the five alongside Blake Griffin, Wood is a more than capable 3 point shooter on good volume who can move well off the ball and switch onto any traditional frontcourt player on defense.

Speaking of defense, Wood has graded out with a positive defensive RAPTOR rating on each of his past three seasons, which is saying something, considering both of his most recent teams have been bad to very bad.

Unfortunately, in the real NBA, acquiring Wood would be incredibly challenging, considering he makes $13 million in 2021-22 – which would make matching salaries tricky unless Seth Curry, Danny Green, Georges Niang, or Ben Simmons are involved – and is really more of a small-ball center than a John Collins-esque power forward. If the move worked out perfectly, the Sixers’ rebounding, floor spacing, and frontcourt defense would improve notably – assuming Tobias Harris can play at the three – but there’s just as good a chance, if not a better one, that Wood and Embiid would look a little too reminiscent of those Al Horford lineups from a few seasons back, which surely just sent a shiver down your spine.

If the Sixers are smart, they’ll target the following positions via trade this season, 1. a superstar, 2. a scoring small forward 3. a backup veteran point guard, and 4. a big power forward, with the fourth target well down on the list below the first three.

Fortunately or not, a Wood reunion in South Philly is better served for a one-night-only affair a few times a season when his current team comes to town, as opposed to a longer situation that might not work out for a season and a half.

The Philadelphia 76ers should be proud of where Christian Wood is today. Though basically no one who coached, worked out, or played alongside Wood from that season is left with the organization, he’s still an alumnus who made good after spending his rookie season in South Philly, which is pretty darn cool. As long as he doesn’t end up in Brooklyn, Boston, Milwaukee, or Miami, Wood’s further development will be a ton of fun to watch.