Tag: John Wall

Hi. I’m a Washington Wizards fan and, well, I don’t know if I can do this anymore

Thirty. Five. Points. I’m at a loss.

By now you’ve almost certainly seen the news. If you haven’t, let me hip you. The Washington Wizards suffered one of the worst losses in NBA history on Tuesday night. Fans were left confused. Befuddled. Dumbfounded. Broken. It just made no sense.

The Wizards had a 33-point lead at halftime. The biggest lead of the night was 35 points. The game was almost certainly in the bag. To anyone, let alone anyone with rooting allegiances on either side, this one was over.

And the “anyone” here includes the Clippers coach, Ty Lue, who actually pulled his starters out of the game because things seemed to be in hand. No point in playing your starters when there’s nothing to play for, right? Right?

Well, actually.

If you’re a Wizards fan, you know. You know there’s always a chance. Which is exactly why I tweeted this in the middle of the second quarter.

I thought the Wizards would blow their 30-plus point lead because, well, they’re the Wizards. They’re not trustworthy. They have never demonstrated themselves to be trustworthy. We’ve seen this before. Michael Ruffin. Kelly Olynyk. The list goes on.

Why would I trust them to hold a 30-point lead? Why? Of course, I wouldn’t. And, of course, they didn’t.

But not even EYE could have anticipated them losing this. On a four-point play. From Luke Kennard. Luke Kennard? Luke. Kennard.

My God.

The Clippers were down by 35-points. They won the game. That is the second-largest comeback in NBA history.

Look, man. When you’re a Wizards fan, you expect doom. That’s just what it is. But this? This? No one deserves this. This ain’t right. Don’t nothing about this make any sense.

And that’s why…and it’s hard to say this, so bear with me…that’s why I’m just not sure I can do this anymore. I don’t think I can care about this team anymore. I just don’t know if I can do it.

Look, I love D.C. I love the DMV. I’m born and bred here. This is my home and I love it when my home does well and does nice things because, honestly, there are great people that live here. And they deserve nice things.

So rooting for the Wizards comes naturally with wanting nice things for this city. If the Wizards do well, so does the city. And so here I’ve been — rooting for this team since my early adolescent years.

I was there rooting for Wizards Jordan when he dropped 51-points on the Hornets and made NBA history. But I was also there when that same MJ was icing his knees mid-game during West coast road trips at midnight on the East coast knowing good and well I had to be up for the bus to school in the morning.

And of course, I was there rooting when Gilbert Arenas hit what is still the coolest game-winner ever against the Utah Jazz where he just completely turned away because he knew the shot was good. But I was also a fan for the infamous gun incident.

I was actually in the building covering Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals when John Wall hit the biggest shot in Washington Wizards (but not Bullets) history. But I also remember when Wall only scored a single point against the Cleveland Cavaliers in what was really his last memorable moment as a Wizard.

I say all this to say I’ve lived through the good and bad with this team. I’ve been through thick and thin. But that’s what fandom is, no?

It’s ultimately a decision. You decide, for whatever reason, to pledge your allegiance to this team. You have no idea where it’ll take you. No idea where it’ll go. But you irrationally go down the path anyway because you feel as though you have to. This is what sports are.

But enough is enough for me and the Washington Wizards.

Over the last two calendar years, I’ve seen this franchise cast out Washington’s most beloved son in John Wall just to mortgage the future of this team and cast aside the development of young prospects in the name of selling Russell Westbrook’s triple-double record. We’ve seen them make confounding decisions over and over and over again.

There was hope after the Russell Westbrook trade that this team had a plan. They were building an actual roster with a coach who actually cared about developing a team. It felt like there was something there. They started 10-3. Bradley Beal didn’t look good, but the Wizards were a team! They were doing it.

Now I’m seeing them do…this. Whatever this is. I’m not really sure what to call it. But it’s the single most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had as a Wizards fan. I’ve never felt more ashamed of this team — and that’s saying something.

So, yeah, I don’t know what’s next for me and my fandom.  But I’m 110% sure that this ain’t it. Kicking the can down the road here is good for no one.

It’s time to blow it up.

Report: Rockets would require Lakers’ 2027 first-rounder in Russell Westbrook-John Wall swap

The Houston Rockets would want one thing for certain if a trade is made with the Los Angeles Lakers involving Russell Westbrook.

If the Los Angeles Lakers decide to pull the plug on the Russell Westbrook experiment, the only team that can reportedly help them is the Houston Rockets.

Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported the news last week in his NBA newsletter, saying the Rockets would be interested in swapping John Wall to L.A. for Westbrook since both players are making similar money.

But if the Lakers take that way out, they will need to depart with their 2027 first-round pick, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic:

For a deal to get done, Houston would have to be enticed by an aggressive Lakers approach — one involving either a third team or suitable additional assets — to make it work. Houston would require the Lakers’ 2027 first-rounder in such a deal, sources tell The Athletic, but it’s unclear how willing the Lakers are to put that on the table.

This makes sense considering the Rockets wouldn’t play Westbrook after already trying that a few seasons ago.

But this route is also an enormous risk for the Lakers. Wall has not played this season and isn’t the same player he used to be before his Achilles injury. Losing that vital first-rounder to essentially dump Westbrook wouldn’t be a good look, especially since that pick — one of their few key trade chips — can be utilized for a different trade.

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Report: Rockets demanding first-round draft pick to send John Wall to Lakers

Houston would require the Lakers’ 2027 first-round draft pick to trade John Wall there for Russell Westbrook, according to a new report by The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.

Though chatter continues regarding a potential John Wall trade to Los Angeles for Russell Westbrook, the salary cap math and NBA rules related to the trading of future first-round draft picks continues to make it more problematic for both the Lakers and the Houston Rockets.

Given each player’s bloated salary, a trade for the other is one of the only realistic options. And with the Lakers still languishing near .500 in a season with LeBron James turning 37 years old, there’s understandably a sense of urgency to try and maximize his dwindling prime years.

But the rebuilding Rockets have little incentive to acquire Westbrook, since they already have a non-playing agreement with Wall allowing them to easily give those minutes to younger players. No such agreement exists with Westbrook, and they have virtually identical contracts. Thus, to deviate from the status quo for another veteran guard who they are not interested in playing — Houston needs to be incentivized.

How much? Per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, it would require Los Angeles’ 2027 first-round draft pick in a two-team deal. He writes:

For a deal to get done, Houston would have to be enticed by an aggressive Lakers approach — one involving either a third team or suitable additional assets — to make it work. Houston would require the Lakers’ 2027 first-rounder in such a deal, sources tell The Athletic, but it’s unclear how willing the Lakers are to put that on the table.

Because of the Stepien rule, NBA teams cannot be without a first-round pick in consecutive future drafts. The Lakers already owe their 2022 first-rounder to either New Orleans or Memphis, along with a 2024 or 2025 pick to New Orleans. Thus, the 2027 pick is all they could conceivably trade, other than perhaps a right to swap picks in other years.

It remains to be seen whether the Lakers are desperate enough to do that by this season’s Feb. 10 trade deadline, particularly considering that their franchise outlook beyond James’ playing days (he will 42 years old in 2027) is murky at best. It’s also worth noting that due to the Stepien rule, giving up their 2027 pick would make it impossible for the Lakers to trade any first-round picks for any other upgrade for the time being.

Is their current situation desperate enough for them to do that? Only they can answer that, and if they decide it is, it sounds as if Rockets general manager Rafael Stone will be ready and willing to act. But without a clear incentive, expect Houston to stay the course with its status quo.

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Rockets trade rumors: Miami monitoring Christian Wood, Clippers interested in John Wall

The Heat and Clippers are reportedly interested in Christian Wood and John Wall, respectively. However, salary cap math and trade rules on future draft picks make potential deals challenging.

The Houston Rockets reportedly aren’t compelled to move veterans who are under contract for multiple seasons by the NBA’s upcoming Feb. 10 trade deadline. However, potential suitors are still lurking.

According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Miami Heat have consistently shown interest in trading for big man Christian Wood, while the Los Angeles Clippers have registered interest in veteran guard John Wall.

In his latest story published Monday, Iko writes:

With two seasons remaining on his contract (and 2022-23 being a player option for more than $47 million), the pickings are slim. Houston has recently received calls from a handful of teams about potentially acquiring Wall, sources tell The Athletic, but due to the contract constraints, rival teams continue to simply monitor the situation. One such team that had expressed genuine interest earlier in the season was the LA Clippers, sources say, but there is some confusion from an outsider’s perspective on the Clippers’ objectives heading into the deadline.

(Wood) has been subject to interest around the league, and sources say Miami has been one of the more persistent teams in engaging with Houston on the versatile big man. But barring a blow-me-away offer, Wood should remain in Houston past the deadline. He’s averaging 17.5 points and a career-best 10.3 rebounds per game.

With Wall and the Clippers, the interest makes some sense, especially considering that Kawhi Leonard now appears to be a possibility to return this season. The five-time All-Star could give them a playoff boost.

The challenge is the math. To approach Wall’s lofty salary in a trade without touching Leonard or Paul George, the Clippers would likely need to include three salaries from a group including Eric Bledsoe, Marcus Morris Sr., Luke Kennard, Reggie Jackson, and Serge Ibaka. Would the Clippers (23-25) really give up three established rotation players for Wall, all in a season in which they are under .500 in late January?

While not impossible, it seems more likely that the Clippers’ interest in Wall could be in the event of a contract buyout, which remains unlikely.

At $13.7 million, Wood’s salary is far more manageable, and the Heat have most of their first-round draft assets after 2022 available to trade. However, because Miami is a perennial Eastern Conference contender and does not appear likely to decline at any point in the foreseeable future, one late first-round pick isn’t likely to be enough to convince general manager Rafael Stone to give up his 26-year-old big man.

Two might do the trick, but is Miami willing to go to that length? Considering the conditional 2023 pick they already owe to Oklahoma City, giving up two more future first-rounders would effectively block them from trading any other first-round draft assets (other than swap rights) for several years — since the Stepien rule prevents NBA teams from not owning a first-round pick in consecutive future seasons.

In short, while both scenarios of Wall to the Clippers and Wood to the Heat are mathematically possible, each feels like a longshot.

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Report: Rockets open to trading John Wall for Russell Westbrook, draft compensation

Per Marc Stein, Houston would consider making yet another John Wall-Russell Westbrook trade, should the Lakers include sufficient draft compensation along with Westbrook.

In late December, we wrote about the potential rationale for the Rockets to consider yet another trade involving highly priced guards John Wall and Russell Westbrook. Wall has not played for Houston in the 2021-22 season due to the team’s emphasis on developing younger players.

The two former All-Stars were first traded for one another in December 2020, with the Rockets landing a protected future first-round draft pick from Washington along with Wall. The high salaries of both players — at an average of more than $45 million per season through 2022-23 — made it to where a trade for the other was far more plausible than a deal elsewhere, considering the difficulties that most teams would face in finding enough disposable salary to make the math work.

Now, with Westbrook as a member of the storied Los Angeles Lakers and clearly struggling to fit in on the court, could it happen again? In the aftermath of Westbrook’s benching during the final minutes of a game earlier this week, veteran NBA insider Marc Stein reports:

I’ve learned that the Rockets — while indeed holding no interest in having Westbrook play for them again — actually would be amenable to another Westbrook-for-Wall swap if the Lakers incentivized the trade with sufficient draft compensation.

A year ago, market forces called for the team giving up Wall (Washington)  to give up a protected future first-round draft pick to the team giving up Westbrook (Houston). There were two main reasons.

The first was Wall hadn’t played in the NBA in two years and was coming off an Achilles tear and subsequent complications. The second was Houston was desperate team due to James Harden’s trade request, and something needed to change to potentially salvage the relationship. It ultimately didn’t work, but given Harden’s stature as a perennial MVP front-runner, you can’t blame general manager Rafael Stone for trying. At the time, Houston had not committed to its current rebuilding path.

Today, however? The concerns related to Wall’s Achilles have largely been eliminated after a successful 2020-21 campaign in which he averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game. Now, as the Lakers continue to languish around .500, they would appear to be the more desperate team, given the incentive to maximize the dwindling prime years of legendary star LeBron James — who recently turned 37 years old.

In December 2020, the Rockets reportedly saw Wall as a better fit next to Harden than Westbrook was, and it’s possible the Lakers could feel the same way about the fit next to LeBron and Anthony Davis.

It should also be noted that Wall is a client of Klutch Sports and super-agent Rich Paul, who is known for his tight relationship with LeBron. With Wall clearly wanting to play and the Feb. 10 trade deadline less than three weeks away, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Paul determines the Lakers to be his best and most realistic fit this season. If so, perhaps Paul and Klutch exert pressure on the Lakers behind the scenes.

From Houston’s perspective, it should be emphasized that there is zero incentive to trade Wall for Westbrook without a draft asset or prospect sweetener. They would not want Westbrook to actually play for them, and he would likely be released, should such a trade materialize.

The same reasons Houston isn’t playing Wall (a desire to play younger guards such as Kevin Porter Jr.) also apply to Westbrook. Unlike Wall, who has proven willing to sit out while helping his teammates, Westbrook has given no such indications. Thus, without extra compensation or Westbrook being willing to give back more money than Wall in a buyout, Houston would likely stay the course with the non-playing arrangement that it already successfully negotiated.

So, in a period of just over a year, could Stone and the Rockets somehow extract draft compensation on both ends of a Wall-Westbrook swap? Nothing appears imminent, but given the latest report by Stein, it appears to be more than just conjecture as the Feb. 10 deadline nears.

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Rockets would be interested in Russell Westbrook-John Wall swap with Lakers

The Houston Rockets reportedly would be interested in trading for Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook under one condition.

Russell Westbrook’s acquisition hasn’t been seamless for the Los Angeles Lakers, and a report from a few weeks ago revealed trade interest around the league for the former MVP was low.

But that seems to have changed — for now.

According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, there is one team that would be interested in taking Westbrook from L.A.: the Houston Rockets. Houston would send John Wall to the Lakers but would want sufficient draft compensation for doing so (paid subscription):

I’ve since learned that the Rockets — while indeed holding no interest in having Westbrook play for them again — actually would be amenable to another Westbrook-for-Wall swap if the Lakers incentivized the trade with sufficient draft compensation.

To be clear: This is not a scenario likely to materialize between now and Feb. 10 or one I would advise the Lakers to pursue so soon even after all of my criticism of the Westbrook trade in the first place.

Yet sources say that the Lakers could convince Houston to take Westbrook back for Wall if they attached their 2027 first-round draft pick to the deal. The Lakers could naturally try to offer multiple second-round picks instead, but L.A.’s 2027 first-rounder is the piece rival teams naturally covet.

Houston had Westbrook two seasons ago but traded him to the Washington Wizards for Wall. Wall played 40 games for the Rockets last season and put up solid numbers, but he wasn’t exactly the same player he was before his Achilles injury. Wall has not played this season.

In a vacuum, Wall and Westbrook have similar playstyles. They prefer to attack the rim since they’ve never developed reliable 3-point jumpers and use speed as their primary weapon. However, Wall, 31, has had to adapt more after losing some burst due to the injury. This would be risky for the Lakers since that first-round pick could net them someone else.

A lot of Westbrook’s flaws overlap with Wall, so the Lakers could find themselves in a similar bind with the lack of floor spacing around LeBron James. Both players have $47 million player options for next season as well.

There seems to be a way out for the Lakers if they want to end the Westbrook experiment, but they also shouldn’t make a trade for the sake of making a trade.

The trade deadline is set for Feb. 10.

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Trade deadline data: Houston Rockets player salaries for 2021-22, future seasons

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline rapidly approaching, here’s an updated look at who the Houston Rockets have on their salary books — and for how long.

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline for the 2021-22 NBA season rapidly approaching, here’s an updated look at who Houston has on its salary books. This list includes recent signings such as Trevelin Queen and no longer includes Danuel House Jr., who was waived in December.

As of Jan. 15, Garrison Mathews is the only player on the Rockets who is not eligible to be traded by the deadline. That’s because his new standard contract was not signed until late December.

As a result, general manager Rafael Stone heads into the deadline period with substantial flexibility. With the Rockets in the middle of a clear rebuilding program, they’re in a clear spot where veterans like Eric Gordon, Daniel Theis, David Nwaba, and perhaps even John Wall could be sent elsewhere to teams with more of a win-now emphasis.

Courtesy of the HoopsHype salary database, here’s a look at who Stone has on Houston’s books entering the Feb. 10 trade deadline. This list is sorted by annual salary, ranging from the most to the least.

Since nearly all NBA teams or at or above the salary cap during the season, teams have to send out close to much money in deadline trades as they take in, owing to the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

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Rockets trade rumors: John Wall buyout unlikely, Cavs interested in Eric Gordon

Per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, a contract buyout between John Wall and the Rockets remains unlikely. Elsewhere, Cleveland could have trade interest in Eric Gordon.

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline for the 2021-22 season less than one month away, NBA trade talks are picking up. One of the few clear sellers is the Houston Rockets (12-31), who have the Western Conference’s worst record and are clearly building with an eye on future years.

For a young and rebuilding group like the Rockets, accomplished veterans like John Wall and Eric Gordon aren’t an ideal fit with the timeline of rookies like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Josh Christopher.

Yet, contractual factors — particularly in the case of Wall, who is owed an average of more than $45 million per season for 2021-22 and 2022-23 — make a breakup to pull off than it might seem.

Per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, here’s where things stand with Houston’s 31- and 33-year-old guards, as of Thursday, Jan. 13:

John Wall seems entrenched in Houston with zero inclination to accept any type of buyout, sources said.

The Cavaliers don’t project to be very aggressive in the coming weeks, but they will explore avenues to move Ricky Rubio and a protected first-rounder in an effort to net backcourt reinforcements, such as Eric Gordon, following Rubio and Collin Sexton’s season-ending injuries.

For example, if the Cavs fell to play-in range and ultimately did not make the playoffs, what would happen to that pick? If it’s lottery protected, would it roll over to a future season, and what would the protections be, then? Or would it immediately become a second-round pick?

The interest certainly can’t hurt, but the devil is in the details, and whether Cleveland is the ideal Gordon suitor will likely depend on the pick protection terms that are offered to Stone and the Rockets.
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Report: John Wall still unlikely to be traded or bought out by Rockets

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, NBA teams have expressed interest in signing John Wall as a free agent. However, a trade or buyout from the Rockets remains unlikely at this time.

Though it only takes one phone call to change things, it appears that such a call has yet to arrive for John Wall and the Houston Rockets. With exactly one month to go until the Feb. 10 trade deadline, Shams Charania of The Athletic writes that a trade or buyout remains unlikely.

With the 2021-22 NBA league year now at its halfway point, the five-time All-Star has yet to play in a game this season. The rebuilding Rockets would like Wall to accept a smaller role, if he plays for them, since Houston is prioritizing minutes for the development of younger players.

But Wall thinks he is worthy of more than that, and it’s hard to blame him, since he averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 32.2 minutes last season. Those figures would lead the 2021-22 Rockets roster.

It’s simply an awkward fit between a 31-year-old Wall and one of the NBA’s worst teams that is clearly in the early stages of a rebuild. Yet, due to a hefty contract that will pay Wall more than $45 million per season (on average) through 2022-23, his outside market appears limited, as well.

Charania writes in his news and notes update:

Teams are expressing interest in Rockets guard John Wall should he become free on the market, sources say, but a trade or buyout remains unlikely. Wall has a whopping $91.7 million remaining on his contract through next season. He is currently not playing for the Rockets after the sides discussed in late November about him potentially playing.

It’s plausible that some team could become more desperate as the Feb. 10 deadline nears, or perhaps the Rockets grow more willing to complete a buyout and free up the roster spot if the deadline passes and it becomes clear that a trade is not possible (due to the contract).

But for now, the status quo remains in place for Wall and the Rockets, just as it has since the original announcement in mid-September.

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Could the Rockets execute another John Wall, Russell Westbrook trade?

Multiple NBA reporters are tossing out hypothetical John Wall and Russell Westbrook trades (again). Here’s why it’s at least plausible for the Rockets and Lakers as the Feb. 10 deadline nears.

It’s barely been more than one year since the blockbuster December 2020 trade sending Russell Westbrook from Houston to Washington and John Wall from the Wizards to the Rockets. Now, with the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers (where Westbrook was traded to after last season) mired in mediocrity and on a five-game losing streak, could the stars be aligning for the All-Star guards to be traded for each other again?

In the aftermath of another L.A. loss on Christmas, numerous media reports on Monday (CBS Sports, HoopsHype, The Ringer) are discussing the possibility, and with good reason. With LeBron James turning 37 years old this week, there’s a high sense of urgency for the Lakers to make win-now moves. The Westbrook fit has yet to materialize, but considering his bloated contract at an average of more than $45 million per season over the next two years, there isn’t a long list of trade suitors.

Moreover, even if a team was willing to accept Westbrook’s salary, would they be willing to do so while simultaneously giving up players who could help the Lakers win games in the short-term? If not, it largely defeats the purpose. That’s where the Rockets could come into play, should Los Angeles refuse to stay the course at the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

In December 2020, the Rockets reportedly saw Wall as a better fit next to James Harden than Westbrook was, and it’s possible the Lakers could feel the same way about the fit next to LeBron. In addition, since both players are on virtually identical contracts, it wouldn’t harm the Lakers’ long-term salary cap situation. That was another reason why Westbrook and Wall were traded for one another in 2020 — many other teams likely viewed each player as having negative trade value due to their bloated salaries. If swapping for one another, that concern is negated.

A year ago, market forces called for the team giving up Wall (Washington)  to give up a protected future first-round draft pick to the team giving up Westbrook (Houston). There were two main reasons. The first was that Wall hadn’t played in the NBA in two years and was coming off an Achilles tear and subsequent complications. The second was that Houston was the more desperate team due to Harden’s trade request, and something needed to change to potentially salvage the relationship. (It ultimately didn’t work, but given Harden’s stature as a perennial MVP frontrunner, you can’t blame general manager Rafael Stone for trying.)

Today, however? The concerns related to Wall’s Achilles are no more after a successful 2020-21 campaign with the Rockets, and it’s the Lakers who are desperate to make a move based on their current struggles and the obvious incentive to maximize LeBron’s dwindling prime years.

It should also be noted that Wall is a client of Klutch Sports and super-agent Rich Paul, who is known for his tight relationship with LeBron. With Wall now wanting to play, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Paul eventually sees the Lakers as the best and most realistic fit this season. If so, could some further strings be pulled behind the scenes?

From Houston’s perspective, there is zero incentive to trade Wall for Westbrook without draft or prospect sweetener. For the same reasons that Houston isn’t playing Wall (a desire to play younger guards like Kevin Porter Jr.), the same logic holds true with another veteran in Westbrook. And unlike Wall, who has proven willing to mutually sit out while still helping his teammates, Westbrook has given no such indications. Thus, without extra compensation or Westbrook being willing to give back more money than Wall in a buyout, Houston would likely stay the course with the non-playing arrangement that it already successfully negotiated.

So, in a period of just over a year, could Stone and the Rockets somehow extract draft compensation on both ends of a Wall-Westbrook swap? As of late December, it should be emphasized that all of this is conjecture. No reports have yet emerged of concrete trade discussions between the Lakers and Rockets. But if losses continue to mount for Los Angeles in the weeks ahead and no other trade suitors for Westbrook emerge, it’s a storyline worth monitoring as the Feb. 10 deadline nears.

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