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2020 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

By Duncan Smith

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers guareds Christian Wood #35 of the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on January 5, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Lakers won 106-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers guareds Christian Wood #35 of the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on January 5, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Lakers won 106-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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NBA free agency
NBA free agency Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Christian Wood: 3 years, $41 million (Houston Rockets)

And just like that, Detroit Pistons fans know their fate. Christian Wood is gone, departed to the Houston Rockets as part of the sign and trade that sent Trevor Ariza and the 16th pick in Wednesday’s draft to Detroit.

The Rockets get Wood for a completely reasonable price at just under $14 million per year and helped the Pistons get some value for him instead of losing him for nothing. He’s going to flourish in Houston alongside James Harden (assuming he stays there and doesn’t get traded) as a pick and roll and spot-up partner.

Wood was outstanding in the final stretch of the season after the Detroit Pistons traded Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was basically the only NBA-level player on the floor for the Pistons, and while they lost almost every one of those games, he really made a name for himself both in Detroit and around the league.

Fortunately, the Pistons were indeed able to recoup some value in the deal and they signed Jerami Grant in free agency themselves (more to come on that), so what could have been a disaster was more or less averted (or at least mitigated).

Grade: A