John Wall isn’t expected to play for the Rockets this season and it doesn’t appear any teams are willing to gamble on his contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on tonight’s “NBA Countdown” (hat tip to Doric Sam of Bleacher Report).
“There are no plans for John Wall to play for the Rockets, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that John Wall may not play anywhere in the NBA this season because the cost of his contract right now is just too prohibitive,” Wojnarowski said.
The 31-year-old point guard is owed nearly $91.7MM over the next two seasons, which breaks down to a $44,310,840 salary this year with a $47,366,760 player option for 2022/23. Wojnarowski suggested that the only way for Wall to engineer a trade to another team would be to turn down that option in advance.
“Any team that would potentially trade for him would want him to decline that option,” Woj said. “Well, he’s not doing that, he’s not giving that money back.”
Wall reached an agreement with the Rockets in September that he would sit out games while the team explored trade possibilities. Since that time, he has served as a de facto assistant coach, working with the team’s young players but with no intent to actually see any playing time.
Houston acquired Wall before the start of last season, sending Russell Westbrook to the Wizards and picking up a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2023. Wall was able to revive his career somewhat after missing a year and a half because of injuries. He appeared in 40 games for the Rockets and averaged 20.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per night.
It appears a buyout is the only way for Wall to join another team, but the amount of money he would have to give up may be too high for that to be realistic.
He’d be better on the Lakers then Westbrook. Both overpaid and way past it
At least Westbrook plays.
Wall would be playing if he was on the Lakers. Houston doesn’t want to take time away from the youngins.
Is that really the case? If he wanted to be a teaching rotation player, I’m sure they’d allow him to do that. It’s highly unlikely they’d be able to trade him, but at least he could demonstrate some of his worth if he played.
Even the max contracts of other players not playing (i.e., Irving & Simmons) don’t match his. Houston would have to give up some of the draft capital it’s acquired to trade him. I don’t know if there’s a team that would have cap space for him, except, possibly, the Thunder.
About 3 weeks ago, Rockets should have talked with him and asked him to play again.that would be plenty of time to restock his value. Best case scenario, he turns out like CP3. Worst case scenario, he’s out of the league. If you question who’s minutes he’d take? DJ and Nwaba (maybe take off 10 minutes from Gordon) are the ones I’d start with. There is plenty of minutes for wall even with Green, Porter Jr, and Christopher taking the minutes.Walls leadership on the court (even if briefly) would help the young guys. Wall still has enough in the tank to average 20-30 points per game. And probably the best guy to run the offense with Gordon taking the second unit. The kids have gotten their feet wet now, so let the veterans in and help these kids out.
Why did the spurs and popavich get punished for sitting out a healthy Duncan from games, but now houstin isn’t getting fined? Proof that the NBA is rigged for some teams
Wow… A lottery protected first rounder cost the Rockets Westbrook and a $44 million payout for zero production in a season…
They thought swapping out Westbrick would convince Harden to stay.
Since they would’ve been on the hook for Westbrick’s $44.211 million if they’d kept him and Wall makes $44.310 million this year it’s a difference approximately $99 thousand dollars. They would have most likely won more games with Westbrick last year and would’ve had to buy out either one at the end of this year to get rid of them. They basically paid $99,000 to keep their pick and gained a protected 1st. Not bad at all.
Cost them Westbrook?
How is Westbrook an asset but wall isn’t?
Worse than the Ben Simmons hold out.
John Walls schedule: Monday, count my money. Tuesday, count my money. Wednesday, count my money…
Team didnt want to play him this isnt a hold out. This is Hou deciding that its better for the future to not play him, and him being ok with it. I think its a little silly since the odds of trading him are exceedingly low I think they should just eat it and buy him out or play him to raise his value. They shouldnt be asking him to take an insane buyout since they dont want to play him either.
If they play him it’s harder to tank and stunts the development of Green and Porter.
Normally I’d agree with you, but Wall is a playmaker who should make it easier for the young guys to get good shots. One year of that, even half a year of it, may not be so bad for their development.
Not all minutes are created in a vacuum.
Leave it to a Philly fan to say John Wall is in a worse situation than Ben Simmons and the Sixers. Wall has been a consummate professional since coming to Houston, while Simmons has managed to completely destroy his reputation to the point that not even the Nets are willing to trade a headcase like Kyrie Irving for him.
As a Nets’ fan, I believe it was the Sixers who were refusing to consider Irving. On paper, it’d be a move that could benefit both teams. On the Nets’ side, Kyrie is close to KD, so they’d have to get his buy-in.
I would have loved to see Wall play on a contending team. Not the Lakers per se, but an up and coming team, doing for them kind of what CP did for the Suns
It’s worse because no one will trade for Walls contract if he opts in. So, it’s clearly worse.
You really should just stop talking.
Your town already has enough problems to overcome.
Why did popavich and the spurs get fined big for resting a healthy Tim Duncan for many games back a few years ago, but Houston isn’t getting fined for “resting” a healthy John wall? This is clear proof the NBA is rigged and letting Houston tank
I do wish there was a way for him to play somewhere but any team trading for him would be absolutely insane
If he wants to play somewhere this season all he has to do is decline his $47M player option for 2022-23 and the Rockets can give him a buyout.
There will be plenty of contenders willing to sign him after his buyout.
Or he can exercise it and they STILL could do a buyout. Just depends on how much he’d be willing to give up. But I understand how the Rockets may not have a ton of incentive to do that from their perspective given the timetable to competing is still far away.
If your not going to play him. While nobody will trade for him. Why not buy him out for what you can get from him so he can move on and play meaningful basketball while you save something over paying the full 93M or whatever.
Why would Wall accept a buyout now? He’s bot playing and won’t be traded. He can just rest this year and next and maybe decide to give back a little right before the playoff eligibility deadline NEXT year.
He shouldn’t give any money back. Houston took this contract on. If he wants to play, he should demand a trade or the playing time he has earned. He’s as good or better than some of the regular rotation players.
Awaiting Wally Wood’s astute defense of his horrible franchise.
I mean he can give back the vet min so HOU saves 4M or something to free him, and then he can play basketball. I mean do we really think Wall doesnt want to play if the games matter?
Not only can he play but the other team can pay whatever he gives up.
Paying the excess value to trade a contract is pretty common.
How many dollars have to be in a pile of money for you to pick it up?
The Rockets can pay every penny and get nothing or they can get the same nothing and pick up a little cash or even a player or pick.
I don’t blame them for trying to get more but accepting nothing at all would be vindictive and just plain stupid.
The Rockets just have to accept that they traded for this contract and they are the ones who owe him money.
As soon as they stop waiting for someone to bail them out they can find the team willing to pay the most and eat the rest.
Why in the world would wall pay 10’s of millions to play in the NBA?
who says no to a 50 million dollar option?
The Rockets created the situation and there is no way the player should bail them out.
Just not right what HOU is doing, if Wall is healthy he must play, they are wasting a year of his career… the league should never allow teams to seat healthy guys, bad look for the league, as a fan I absolutely hate to not be able to see one of the top guards of the last few decades play just ’cause his team sucks in sooo many different levels!
Is this the real el don? You’re missing the only thing you’ve ever added to any conversation
#freebensimmoms
I agree! I would love to watch Wall play this year as well. Houston sure would be a little better. But I guess they just wanna tank, using player development as a lame excuse. And the NBA doen’t seem to care too much.
$44m for virtual coaching.
Nice work if you can get it ;)
Rockets not dumping that boat anchor without attaching picks to take it. Since they don’t want to do that….Wall will be sitting all year and maybe next too. Who is going to pay him anywhere close to that after not playing the previous year and a year older?
Great agenting
#FreeJohnWall
Hey low-key hi-key he’s living his literal best AND “free” life !!!! Free his basketball skills tho…
$91m for doing nothing. ‘Merica.
Man got 170 million to play 40 games
Rotating the problem: Simmons to Houston, Irving to Philly, Wall and a #1 from Houston to Brooklyn.
*Brooklyn hangs up the phone*
mmmmmm i think Nets will pass on that, i think Brk will be better with 2 good rotation players. Even if Kyrie is only deadweight on their payroll for them.
Why don’t the Rockets just play Wall? Wall is a good player. Or is it a case in which the Rockets want to find a trade and don’t wish to risk an injury and have Wall be even further untradeable?
This was news in September. What they announced then was bizarre. But if HOU determined that they don’t want Wall on the team (whatever their reason), Wall can’t be moved without taking back the same money in the out year of 2022-23, and Wall won’t agree to a buyout where he gives back a significant amount, then what they’re actually doing now isn’t bizarre. It might be best for them.