Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
HoopsHype ranks the five players who have appeared most in trade rumors over the past seven days, headlined by De’Aaron Fox.
The time has arrived for another part of our Trade Rumor Rankings series, where we take the five players who have appeared the most often on our Trade Rumors Page over the past week.
This week is point guard-heavy, with De’Aaron Fox and Kemba Walker leading the way on this edition of the series.
Let’s jump right in.
The time has arrived for another part of our Trade Rumor Rankings series, where we take the five players who have appeared the most often on our Trade Rumors Page over the past week.
This week is point guard-heavy, with De’Aaron Fox and Kemba Walker leading the way on this edition of the series.
Let’s jump right in.
With Dec. 15 representing the unofficial start of the NBA’s trade season, Bleacher Report made two intriguing proposals for Houston.
In each NBA regular season, Dec. 15 is unofficially known as the start of trade season. That’s because it marks the date that most players who signed contracts during the prior offseason are eligible to be dealt.
Even if a trade doesn’t involve a recent free agent, teams are often more willing to pull the trigger on trades at that time, since waiting until Dec. 15 allows each team to know the entire market for a given player.
In the case of the young and rebuilding Rockets, the motivation for potential trades is quite clear. Even with the recent winning streak, Houston still has one of the NBA’s worst records, and the franchise’s timetable for legitimate contention is years away. Thus, veterans like John Wall and Eric Gordon seem to be better fits with teams ready to win now.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale proposed a pair of financially workable deals sending Wall and Gordon to teams with more of a win-now emphasis. Read on for insight on those proposals (these are meant to be thought exercises, not actual rumors), along with an early look at why Daniel Theis could also be a strong trade candidate.
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A John Wall Blockbuster to Save Rockets PG, Plus 3 Brand-New NBA Trades https://t.co/cExPf3HPt8
— SportNewsBuzz (@Sportnewsbuzz) December 1, 2021
Media reports on Sunday indicated that Silas and Stone met with John Wall about a possible return, and Silas elaborated Monday on the talks.
After Sunday’s meeting between Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas, general manager Rafael Stone, and veteran John Wall, anonymously sourced news reports expressed pessimism regarding whether a mutual agreement could be reached to resolve his stand-off with the team.
While the five-time All-Star clearly wants to resume playing, the potential on-court role appears to be a sticking point, with the team wanting Wall to take on a more limited backup role behind Kevin Porter Jr. at point guard. But in comments before Monday’s home game versus Oklahoma City — the first media availability since those reports — Silas took a decidedly more optimistic tone regarding the outlook with Wall.
Among the coach’s comments:
Rafael and I did meet with John, and he had indicated that he wants to play and work towards that. So right now, we’re in that phase as far as getting him back in game shape. He’s been doing a lot of one-on-oh type stuff and one-on-one type stuff but nothing up and down, nothing four-on-four, five-on-five. Right now is the ramp-up time. That’ll probably take a couple weeks. We’ll continue our conversations and try to determine what it looks like. …
Yesterday was discussion No. 1. That was very much centered around him getting to a place he can play in an NBA game. He’s in great shape. He is diligent as far as his work. He’s been positive and all that stuff. But as far as getting in game shape, our guys have had training camp and they’ve been practicing and they had games. He hasn’t had any of that. Right now, it’s about getting him to that point.
Regarding Wall’s potential role with the Rockets, Silas said:
It has to be good for everybody. It has to be good for him. It has to be good for our organization. It has to be good for our group. There’s more to it than just one conversation and getting ready to play, and now you play.
There’s, ‘What does the role look like? What does it look like for the group? What does it look like for everybody?’ We’re at stage one.
In short, check back in approximately two weeks. Monday’s complete media availability session with the head coach can be viewed below.
“After two weeks, I’m going to really have to get with Rafael, get with John, and really figure out what this looks like,” Silas concluded.
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Though John Wall has gone public with his desire to play for the Rockets, the sides still don’t seem to be in alignment regarding his role.
It appears that nothing substantial has changed to this point between John Wall and the Houston Rockets, other than the five-time NBA All-Star going public on Saturday regarding his desire to resume playing.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, Sunday’s conversations between Wall, general manager Rafael Stone, and head coach Stephen Silas have not yet led to the veteran floor general accepting the type of role that the Rockets want in order for him to be in the team’s rotation.
He has been such a good, engaged, supportive teammate — it was easy to see him advising Porter after timeouts on Saturday, even as his restlessness has become increasingly apparent through the week — that filling a sixth-man role would add to his reputation as the sort of player a contender could use.
So far, he has not accepted that limited role. He has wanted to play throughout the season, an individual with knowledge of his thinking and the conversations with the Rockets said. But he did not want to give himself a demotion because the Rockets find themselves working on the team they will become after he has moved on.
Sunday’s conversations with Stone and Silas did not change that. Neither will his desire to play make it easier for the Rockets to find a trade.
Feigen suggests that Wall accepting that type of role might make it easier for the Rockets to ultimately find a trade suitor for him.
Free John Wall? Former All-Star should accept lesser role with Rockets first https://t.co/mOdQftHtEc via @houstonchron
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 28, 2021
From Wall’s perspective, he posted a workout video on Instagram on Sunday afternoon with the message “Born ready, been ready” and a hashtag, “#FreeMe.” That suggests that in his view, Houston is preventing him from playing. Since both Wall and the Rockets seem to be on the same page regarding a trade or contract buyout not being feasible at this time, due to his bloated contract, the resolution that Wall wants appears to be playing in Houston, where he remains under contract.
The timing of Wall’s latest request certainly isn’t ideal. The Rockets are coming off back-to-back wins over Chicago and Charlotte, and third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. averaged 18.5 points (38.5% on 3-pointers), 10.5 assists, and 7.0 rebounds in those games. After struggling with a thigh contusion since Nov. 7, Porter took a week off to finally allow it to heal, and he’s responded with a fantastic stretch of basketball.
Media reports in September had noted that the team’s thinking on Wall was heavily influenced by a desire to give the 21-year-old more playmaking duties at point guard. Now that the Rockets are starting to reap some rewards from that strategy, it’s unclear why they would go back on their original plan. Feigen suggests that the team would like to use Wall in a similar role to current veteran backup DJ Augustin, but Wall appears to be objecting to that template for the time being.
All it takes is one phone call to change things. But between Feigen’s report and Wall’s Instagram post, the clues after Sunday’s meeting between the player and team brass suggests that a mutual agreement on an acceptable role for Wall to resume playing remains elusive.
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Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. each posted huge double-doubles, leading the Rockets past Charlotte and into a two-game winning streak. Here’s some of what we learned at Toyota Center.
Earlier this week, the Houston Rockets had lost 15 straight games and were a mess offensively, having scored 90 points or fewer in three of their last five outings. Now, after shifting Christian Wood to center and embracing a smaller lineup with more shooters and floor spacing, they’re on a two-game winning streak in front of adoring fans at Toyota Center.
Led by an 23-of-49 showing on 3-pointers (46.9%), the smaller Rockets set a new season-high for treys in a second straight game, leading them to Saturday’s 146-143 overtime win over Charlotte (box score). Individually, Houston’s clear standouts were Wood (career-high 33 points, 16 rebounds) and Kevin Porter Jr. (23 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds).
Most impressively, these victories by the Rockets aren’t simply a product of a weak schedule. The Hornets (13-9) and Bulls (13-7) are each clearly in the Eastern Conference playoff field at the moment, and yet the young Rockets (3-16) found a way to close out tight games in the fourth quarter and averaged 126.5 regulation points per game in those two wins.
Granted, in the case of Charlotte, the Hornets were on the second night of a back-to-back in two different cities. But Porter and the Rockets used that to their advantage by pushing pace and getting out in transition, which often led to good looks for shooters such as Garrison Mathews (20 points, 5-of-9 on 3-pointers), Armoni Brooks (15 points, 5-of-11 on 3-pointers), and Eric Gordon (22 points, 7 assists, 4-of-7 on 3-pointers).
The Rockets will conclude their three-game homestand on Monday versus Oklahoma City (6-13). On paper, with a home-and-home sequence looming against the Thunder followed by home games versus Orlando (4-16) and New Orleans (5-16), it could be a chance for Houston to build on its sudden momentum and stack some wins together, for a change.
For now, scroll on for a look at highlights and key takeaways from Saturday’s encouraging showing from the Rockets versus Charlotte. Veteran guard Terry Rozier led the visitors with 31 points in the loss, but Houston limited him to just 9-of-23 shooting (39.1%) from the field.
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“Rafael (Stone) and John (Wall) spoke and as far as I know John is wanting to come back and there will be discussions around that,” said coach Silas. “We will see. I just found out this afternoon. As far as I know, they have spoken, and we will see what will happen.”
During his pregame press conference, Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas was asked immediately about the ESPN report from NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski of the possible return of point guard John Wall to the Rockets rotation.
According to the report, Wall has had discussions with general manager Rafael Stone about a possible return this season.
“Rafael (Stone) and John (Wall) spoke and as far as I know John is wanting to come back and there will be discussions around that,” said coach Silas. “We will see. I just found out this afternoon. As far as I know, they have spoken, and we will see what will happen.”
Coach Silas also added that having Wall rejoin the Rockets rotation would not feel any different for the players as he has been around the team the entire season:
He has been around at practices, on the plane, and at games around the group. It will just be a big difference of him playing in the game. There are going to be many more conversations around what that looks like. Him working out all the time and being around the team, being the competitor he is, of course you know he is itching to get back.
Wall has two years and $91 million remaining on his contract. He participated in 40 games last season but has not touched the court at all this season per his agreement with the Rockets.
Houston Rockets guard John Wall hopes to play this season after previously agreeing to sit out.
Current Houston Rockets guard John Wall has reportedly told the team that he hopes to begin playing for the team once again, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Wall previously agreed to sit until the team could find a suitable trade, but now wants to return to the court.
The team plans to re-engage the conversation on Sunday after the former No. 1 overall pick expressed his desire to return Friday, according to Wojnarowski. It was previously reported by Woj that Wall was increasingly likely not to play, in Houston or elsewhere, this season just over two weeks ago. The Rockets are currently 2-16 after breaking a 15-game losing streak with a win over the Chicago Bulls Friday.
For Wall to play this season, there is likely a compromise that needs to be found between respecting Wall’s stature as an All-Star on a super-max contract and Rockets’ desire to have him play a complementary role to help develop their young core.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 27, 2021
Wall is currently on a supermax contract, earning the 11th most money per year in the NBA – tied with the Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden. The two-time All-Star has $91 million left on his current deal over two seasons. The Rockets acquired Wall and a lottery-protected first-round pick from the Washington Wizards in a swap for Russell Westbrook in Dec. 2020.
Wall has not played more than 41 games in a season since 2016-17, when he played 78 en route to an All-NBA Third Team nomination.
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“He’s traveling with the team and working out, and preparing himself for whatever comes next for him,” Stephen Silas says of John Wall.
Veteran guard John Wall isn’t playing for the rebuilding Rockets in the 2021-22 NBA season, with Houston choosing to prioritize its backcourt minutes for young prospects like Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green.
But that doesn’t mean that the five-time All-Star isn’t making an impact. When asked about Wall prior to Monday’s game at Boston, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas clarified that Wall continues to travel with the team and is viewed by the team as a “helpful presence” on the sidelines during games and practices. Silas explained the dynamic to reporters:
He’s traveling with the team and working out, and preparing himself for whatever comes next for him.
He’s been good for our group. He’s been good as far as watching film with guys, and pulling them aside when they come off the court. He’s on the bench, he’ll be on the bench tonight, and is definitely a helpful presence.
As for Wall’s playing career, recent reports have indicated that a resolution could be delayed to as late as the 2022 offseason.
Now 31 years old, Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 32.2 minutes per game with Houston last season, but his contract is seen as too prohibitive at this time for other teams to trade for or for the Rockets to buy out. So until the dollar figure shrinks more, both sides wait.
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To this point, neither John Wall nor the Rockets have shown interest in a contract buyout. But should one occur, Miami wants to sign him.
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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