The Houston Rockets have remained steadfast in their decision to hold former NBA All-Star John Wall out of games despite him being healthy enough to play. The two sides agreed that Wall would remain sidelined until a trade was found that would land him with a new team, but that market has been very cold.
Wall has essentially operated as another assistant coach, helping develop the young players on the roster. There are plenty of them, as the Rockets selected four teenagers in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft to hammer home that they are in a rebuild.
While numerous teams around the league could use some help at the point guard position, trading for Wall is easier said than done. His contract is massive, which is the biggest obstacle to overcome. Houston, to this point, has also been unwilling to attach any assets, whether it be a young player or draft capital, to Wall to move him.
As a result, there has been very little interest in acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick. Recently, however, there have been some reports that the Rockets would be willing to do business with the Los Angeles Lakers.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LA Clippers Team To Watch For Potential John Wall Trade?
It would be the second time that Russell Westbrook is swapped for John Wall, and should Houston acquire Westbrook again, it would not be to play him. Buyout talks would quickly ensue so that Westbrook could find a new place to play. For this deal to happen, though, the Houston Rockets want the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick, something they have not yet put on the table.
Until that occurs, if it ever even does, the Rockets aren’t going to trade Wall to the Lakers. There are two other teams to keep an eye on the Wall sweepstakes and that is the LA Clippers and Miami Heat.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LA Clippers Team To Watch For Potential John Wall Trade?
Marc Stein, via his paid subscription Substack, recently shared an update on the situation with Wall and mentioned those two teams as possible destinations for him. However, there is a caveat to their interest.
The LA Clippers and the Miami Heat are among the teams known to have interest in Wall should he become a free agent, but Wall and the Rockets have conceded that buyout talks, to this point, are unrealistic with so much money left on Wall’s contract. He is earning $44.3 million this season and holds a player option for next season worth $47.4 million … figures almost identical to Westbrook’s contract.
Neither the LA Clippers nor Miami Heat have an interest in trading for Wall. They would only jump into the fray should he become a free agent via buyout from the Houston Rockets. As Stein shared, that is unlikely given how much money he is owed.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LA Clippers Team To Watch For Potential John Wall Trade?
That is what makes the talk of a buyout with Westbrook being done so quickly. If they are unable to work out a buyout with John Wall, why would they be so willing to do it with Westbrook, as their contracts are very similar as Stein pointed out?
