The Rockets' interior line faces huge problems. Although Wood is a star player who can average 17 points and 10 rebounds per game, there are also many teams that are interested in Wood, such as the Heat, who have chased Wood many times. The Heat wanted to find a qualified replacement for the main center Adebayo in the future, and Wood entered the Heat's sights. But although the Rockets want to send Wood away this season, the management's vision is too high, and they believe that with Wood's average double-double data performance per game, a first-round pick cannot be replaced by Wood.
Unexpectedly, now that many new centers on the Rockets have risen, not only Shin Kyung has performed well in the starting lineup, but even Fernando, a 24-year-old big man, has also bombarded the 16+11+2 data in a game. What's more, Garrouba, a European big forward/center who hasn't played in almost 2 months, has also returned and played in the Rockets' game against the Pelicans. In that game against the Pelicans, the Rockets' highlight was not Porter Jr., nor Jaylen Green, but four centers playing at the same time - main Wood, substitute Shinkin, and two marginal centers Garuba and Fernando.
Wood and Shin Kyung shared most of the playing time in this game, Garuba also played 7 minutes in the final garbage time to contribute 3+3, Fernando did not have many opportunities to perform, only played 2 minutes. But it doesn't matter, Silas, who doesn't like to use traditional big men, why would he take turns sending 4 centers in a game? The Rockets do have a lot of garbage time, but there are still many bench players on the outside and front lines waiting to play time.
In this way, the Rockets actually want to examine the state of the insider players, but also to see how the talent potential of these players is, and whether it is worth cultivating. We know that Wood has already reached the ceiling, and at the age of 26, he has no room to improve at all. Wood's personal style is that of an "alternative center" with first-class offensive ability but inferior defensive ability. First, the age of 26 is not suitable for the Rockets' rebuilding plan, and second, Wood's offensive and defensive characteristics are not suitable for becoming the future king of the Rockets' interior line.
Shen Jing has passed the Rockets' test through his wonderful performances this season. If the Rockets want to send Wood away this summer's offseason, Shin Kyung will be the successor to the starting center position. However, a Shin Kyung can not support the Rockets' internal line, and the Rockets are also preparing for the "post-Wood era".
As the name suggests, the post-Wood era refers to the days after the Rockets traded Wood in the offseason. That said, the Rockets should have already begun to consider, after Wood left, Shen Jing and his two substitute centers (Garuba, Fernando) 3 people, can make the Rockets' No. 5 position better?
Therefore, using the last dozen or so regular season games to give Fernando and Garuba more playing time should allow the Rockets to make the final judgment. In addition to Shin Kyung, Garuba and Fernando, don't forget that the Rockets have 2 first-round picks this summer, and in this big year of the inner draft, the Rockets should use one of the picks to pick a rookie in the center/big forward position - after all, the rest of the Rockets have new people to cultivate, Porter Jr., Green, Martin Jr., Christopher are all the same, only the inside line to find a big man who can partner with Shin Kyung, so that the Rockets' future core lineup is basically complete.
Shen Jing, Garuba, Fernando plus a rookie inside line, this "3 + 1" interior line configuration, basically the rocket team's future internal line of the main combat force.