Trade Notes: Mavericks, Christian Wood, Rockets

Mavericks

• The Christian Wood trade with the Rockets can’t be made official until draft night, per Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Mavericks owe the Knicks a top-10 protected first-rounder in 2023, and because of that, will have to draft someone (at No. 26) this year — and then trade that person to the Rockets. The draft is slated for Thursday, June 23.
• Dallas is now likely to keep Theo Pinson on the roster, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Acquiring Wood for four players will open up some roster spots, making Pinson’s return much more likely.
• It was no secret the Mavs were on the lookout for a starting center and Wood’s ability to knock down perimeter shots is likely what made him appealing, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Basketball. Over the past two seasons, Wood is shooting 38 percent on 3-pointers. Wood has had success shooting both on the pick-and-pop and off the dribble, Afseth noted.
• After landing a center, the Mavs’ offseason priority will now be to re-sign free agent guard Jalen Brunson and add an experienced wing player, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Mavs owner Mark Cuban said he likes their chances at keeping Brunson.

Rockets

• In case you missed it, Marquese Chriss underwent knee surgery on Wednesday, the same day it was reported he had been traded to the Rockets. Chriss is expected to be sidelined for several months, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
• It’s too early to know the future in Houston for any of the players being acquired in the Wood trade — Chriss, Boban Marjanovic, Trey Burke and Sterling Brown. Burke has a player option and will need to opt in to his deal, as Marks noted, adding that the veteran guard also has a trade bonus that will pay him 7.5 percent of his remaining $3.3M salary.
• Part of the reason the Rockets felt comfortable making the deal? Moving Wood means opening the door to more playing time for Alperen Sengun, and whoever the Rockets select with the No. 3 overall pick, presumably Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero, per MacMahon.
• By trading Wood, MacMahon added, the Rockets “pounced on chance to acquire a first-round pick (and no long-term salary).” Wood, of course, is eligible for a contract extension as a 2023 free agent. 
• The Wood trade likely means the end of the very brief Dennis Schroder era in Houston, per Keith Smith of Spotrac. Both Schroder and Bruno Fernando are likely out, Smith added, as the Rockets will have 19 players under contract if they opt to keep all three of their first-round picks (Nos. 3, 17 and 26).