Only a few weeks before the training camp, the NBA world starts to hum again. We found out on Tuesday John Wall will supposedly no longer play for that Houston Rockets. After a recent meeting between the seasoned point guard and the club, the two sides agreed that a separation would be beneficial for both sides.
At the moment the Rockets are only thinking of one trade and there are no plans for a buyout in the works. Wall will be present for training camp and will stay with the team to maintain his fitness until the Rockets can find a trade. However, it is unclear when that will happen.
Given Wall’s age, injury history, falling game, and massive contract, it will be very difficult to make a trade. Not to mention the likelihood that Wall would prefer to switch to a competitor at this stage in his career, which would further complicate matters.
That the Rockets hope to “get Wall right” according to a report by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, seems to be further evidence that they will try to get him into a winning position. As an exercise, start going through some of the better teams.
He’s not going to Networks or the dollar, the Celts won’t want to accept that much money Hawks have Bring a boy, the heat just traded Kyle Lowry and the Curtsey added Kemba Walker. In the west that jazz and to sunbathe resigned Mike Conley and Chris Paul, or the warrior have Steph Curry, Damian Lillard still want to play for them Trailblazer and Wall makes no sense to that Nuggets. Granted that Lakers Initiate another wall-for-Russell Westbrook Swap would be fun, but we can also rule them out.
As you can see, you run out of teams pretty quickly. The old stereotype is that there is no truly non-negotiable contract in the NBA, but Wall could put that to the test. He’s no longer his former All-NBA self, but he’s still paid that way; The only player who will earn more than him over the next two seasons is Curry. Any team interested in trading for him should not only be ready to meet the bill, but also have enough appropriate salaries to close a trade.
Neither side is interested in a buyout because the Rockets are hoping to get something back for Wall and he doesn’t want to give up any money. But if there isn’t a deal available in the next few months and both parties are looking for a way out, they may have to go down that route.
But at the moment that a trade is the preferred option, here are some potential matches, as rare as they may be:
This is possibly the only time you can argue that a trade is welcomed by both the team and Wall. With Kawhi Leonard The Clippers, who are out for at least most of the coming season, will need some help, while Wall would welcome the chance to play for a playoff team again.
Turning over Bledsoe, which they just acquired this off-season, wouldn’t be a problem for the Clippers, and that could get them out of the cumbersome Kennard deal. If it were healthy, Wall would provide extra points and playmakers that could help the Clippers stay competitive without Leonard.
The Rockets could try to flip Bledsoe on their own, but even if they can’t, his contract is only partially guaranteed for 2022-23, which would save them money. Kennard, meanwhile, is still young enough to fit into her rebuilding. In any case, there is potential here for Houston.
- Dallas receives: John Wall, first round selection
- Houston receives: Kristaps Porzingis, Filler salary
Another Western Conference team that could take a risk at Wall are the Mavericks. Luka Doncic is already one of the best players in the league, but we saw in the playoffs that his brilliance can only get the team that far. He needs more help if the mavs really want to make noise.
At first glance, Doncic-Wall’s fit might be a little tricky when they’re lying on the floor together. However, Wall actually shot 38.1 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s last season and would give the Mavericks a much-needed secondary playmaker and goalscorer. Whether it is worth doing without Porzingis is another question.
Neither the Mavericks nor the Big Man are as excited about how things have gone since he took over from the Knicks. In theory, he fits Doncic very well, but we only experienced the partnership in spurts. In the playoffs last season, Porzingis was largely irrelevant.
While Porzingis has struggled over the past few seasons and doesn’t seem to be staying healthy, he’s still an enticing young player the Rockets could try to involve in their rebuilding or send elsewhere for other pieces.
- Philadelphia receives: John Wall, Houston first-round pick, Sacramento first-round pick
- Houston receives: Buddy hero, Marvin Bagley III
- Sacramento receives: Ben Simmons, Fill content from Sixers to make the money work
A direct swap between the Sixers and Rockets seems unlikely for several reasons, namely the Rockets had Ben Simmons in the last year James Harden act when they really wanted him. Still, with Simmons trying to leave Philadelphia, you need to at least bring the Sixers into the conversation here. How about a possible three-team trade with the Sacramento Kings – a team that was in the mix with Simmons?
Of course, it all depends on the Sixers actually wanting the wall, and it’s not clear if they do. Or whether they would be willing to accept that kind of return for Simmons. But with his trade value dropping day by day and his holdout threats lingering over the team, the Sixers may have to take whatever they can get. If they gave up Simmons, however, they’d need other assets besides Wall, maybe first-round picks from every club.
The interest of the kings here is evident. You could get an All-Star for two players they’ve been trying to trade for a while and a selection for the first round. Even in a tough Western Conference, Simmons’ arrival would give them the chance to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
As for the Rockets, Hield and Bagley would be a solid return for Wall. Hield is a player that many competitors would want that could easily be exchanged for more assets to continue rebuilding. Bagley, meanwhile, fits into her schedule and still has a lot of talent even if he hasn’t reached his potential.
