The Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards have reportedly discussed a deal centred on trading Russell Westbrook for John Wall, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
At this time, Charania notes, there is no traction on the possible move as the Rockets are seeking more assets in return.
Wall hasn’t played in an NBA game since Dec. 26, 2018. The 30-year-old underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs from his left heel a week later, on Jan. 8, 2019, and was expected to miss six to eight months. Shortly after that, Wall ruptured his left Achilles tendon after slipping and falling in his home, which wound up sidelining him for the whole 2019-20 season.
A five-time All-Star and the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, Wall averaged 20.7 points, 8.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 32 games for the Wizards last time he was able to play.
During an August 2020 interview with NBC Sports Washington, Wall said that after playing earlier in the day he felt “young” and like he “didn’t even play,” suggesting he is feeling no lingering pain from his Achilles injury. How he is able to perform during NBA action is still to be seen.
Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said in a media availability earlier today — before word of a potential trade broke — that he expects the team to have upwards of 14 back-to-back games in the upcoming, truncated 72-game season, and that Wall will only play in one game per back-to-back set. Wall’s minutes, if he were to stay in Washington, would also go down in an effort to preserve his health, Sheppard said.
Wall has three years remaining on a contract that will pay him on average $42.7 million per season — including a player option in 2022-23 worth over $47 million.
A potential deal with the Wizards is the latest in a series of rumours centred around the Rockets’ two core stars, Westbrook and James Harden, who have both reportedly said they want out of Houston.
Last off-season, the Rockets acquired Westbrook to pair with Harden — sending Chris Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as their 2024 and 2026 first-round picks, and the rights for the Thunder to swap top-10-protected picks with them in 2021 and 2025.
The experiment, at best, had mixed results. Westbrook, who turns 32 on Thursday, averaged predictably flashy stats to the tune of 27.2 points per game, 7.9 rebounds and seven assists.
But Houston failed to advance beyond the second round, bowing out in five games to the eventual-champion Los Angeles Lakers, as Westbrook fought to shake off rust and injury after returning from a strained right quadriceps.
Part of Westbrook’s desire to move on from Houston, according to earlier reporting Charania, is rooted in his desire to return to his prior, floor-general role that he held with the Thunder.
Westbrook, who was named league MVP in 2017, is owed $131.5 million over the next three seasons and holds a $46.7 million player option in 2022-23, drastically limiting the field of available suitors for the polarizing all-star as the COVID-19 pandemic has left teams league-wide facing fiscal uncertainty.
The Rockets have been actively searching for trade partners, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Sunday, but that marketplace had proven to be relatively barren.
