TREVOR ARIZA TO DETROIT
The Detroit Pistons acquired forward Trevor Ariza, center/forward Isaiah Stewart, a future second-round draft pick and cash from the Houston Rockets for center/forward Christian Wood, a protected first-round draft pick in 2021 and a second-round draft pick in 2021.
What does it give the Detroit Pistons
Ariza is a solid veteran forward, and he joins a Pistons team looking to get back into playoff contention. Adding Ariza to Blake Griffin gives Detroit a strong veteran forward combination for an otherwise young squad. The Pistons also got big man Isaiah Stewart via the draft with this deal. Stewart could apprentice behind Griffin at power forward, though he could wind up seeing a lot of minutes at the five for Detroit.
What does it give the Houston Rockets
Houston previously acquired both Ariza and Stewart (the 16th pick in this year's draft) from Portland in the Robert Covington trade. So, they now decided to move both assets out for Wood, who broke out in a big way in Detroit last season. He figures to play a prominent role in Houston as the team's new starting center (an actual legitimate center). The Rockets also did very well here to add two more future picks.
Fantasy impact
Wood could make a huge impact in Houston, so he should be among the first 10-15 centers drafted in most league formats this year. Ariza's fantasy stock is not very high right now, and moving to Detroit changes little. He is not going to be the focal point of the offense with the Pistons (far from it), so he should not be picked in a lot of league formats. As for Stewart, keep a close eye on how he is used in the preseason. He could be a sneaky-good rookie right out of the gate for a Pistons team looking to shake things up.
Player focus
Houston Rockets
a second-round draft pick in 2021
a protected first-round pick in the 2021 draft