To this point, neither John Wall nor the Houston Rockets have shown any interest in a contract buyout. With nearly two full seasons worth of salary left to be paid, Wall understandably is not interested in giving back the amount of money that it would take to incentivize the team to do it.
From the team’s perspective, there’s no reason to buy Wall out prematurely, since an eventual trade — particularly once the financial figures owed to the five-time All-Star go down — is still possible. It’s also plausible that teams around the NBA who aren’t interested today could become suitors at a later date, should a major guard injury occur.
But should that not happen, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Heat would have interest in Wall after a buyout. Now 31 years old, Wall was still a productive player for the Rockets last season, when he averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game. The only problem is that his age isn’t an ideal fit with Houston’s rebuilding timeline and the team’s desire to give more playing time to younger players. By contrast, Miami has a veteran-laden roster that is built to contend now, and Wall could slide in behind Kyle Lowry at point guard.
From Houston’s perspective, though, Miami’s buyout interest isn’t likely to immediately change their thinking. Previous reports have indicated that a Wall buyout isn’t realistic until the 2022 offseason, since that would give the Rockets opportunities at the February trade deadline and near the 2022 NBA draft and start of free agency to again explore trades. Should a deal not materialize after those dates, any hopes of a Wall trade would diminish, and that could set the stage for a buyout. By that point, the money remaining on Wall’s contract would also be easier to handle.
Heat Interested In John Wall If He Takes Buyout From Rockets https://t.co/jXUuqJ2JkE
— RealGM (@RealGM) November 18, 2021
But, one way that Miami’s interest could benefit the Rockets is by making it clear to other potential suitors that if they want Wall, they would need to execute a trade with the Rockets to make it happen — since Miami is typically a very desirable destination for veteran free agents. The Heat’s looming presence on the buyout market might make other suitors less likely to play hardball with general manager Rafael Stone in trade talks, since a Wall buyout wouldn’t likely be to that team’s benefit.
These dynamics aren’t likely to play out any time soon. For now, expect Wall and the Rockets to maintain the status quo, which is him traveling with the team and being present at games and practices without actually playing. But when trade talks inevitably pick back up at a later date, either in February or when the 2022 offseason begins next June, Miami’s presence as a buyout suitor could be of a slight benefit to Houston.
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