Rockets Will Only Swap John Wall For Russell Westbrook With Draft Picks Involved

[RealGM Wiretap]

Since the 2021 trade deadline, a swap of John Wall for Russell Westbrook has been rumored. The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers didn't make a trade then, and don't seem any closer to making a deal now.

The Rockets have insisted that any Wall for Westbrook trade would have to include draft pick compensation going from Los Angeles to Houston. The Lakers, who are light on tradable draft picks, have resisted giving up picks to dump Westbrook.

If the Rockets are unable to find a trade for Wall, it's expected both sides will entertain a buyout of the $47-plus million he's owed for the 2022-23 season. Wall was unwilling to give up considerable money with two years left on his deal, but after sitting out a season, it's likely he'll engage in buyout discussions before next season.

Via Marc Stein/Substack

[tigerae]

It won't happen, no way Lakers are giving up picks for Wall who has been injury prone. No matter how much the Rockets keep leaking this story to the media.

However, just like the NBA allowed the Sixers to fine and withhold money from Simmons for not playing, the NBA should fine the Rockets for not allowing him to play. They need to either play him or trade him/let him go in order for him to play elsewhere. The Supermax contract should force a team to play players unless there is a good reason (for example an injury).

They are basically messing with his career atm. Who knows what he may have left in the tank and no one will give him more than the minimum once his contract expires if he is unable to show that.

[Lockdown504090]

the rockets need to stop posturing and get value back, they have until trade deadline to get something done or they have to buy him out and all 30 teams know it.

[CLosP]

the rockets need to stop posturing and get value back, they have until trade deadline to get something done or they have to buy him out and all 30 teams know it.

Value and John Wall don’t go together especially with his ridiculous contract. He’ll be bought out.

[Scalabrine]

It won't happen, no way Lakers are giving up picks for Wall who has been injury prone. No matter how much the Rockets keep leaking this story to the media.

However, just like the NBA allowed the Sixers to fine and withhold money from Simmons for not playing, the NBA should fine the Rockets for not allowing him to play. They need to either play him or trade him/let him go in order for him to play elsewhere. The Supermax contract should force a team to play players unless there is a good reason (for example an injury).

They are basically messing with his career atm. Who knows what he may have left in the tank and no one will give him more than the minimum once his contract expires if he is unable to show that.

surely you see the difference in a employer refusing to show up to work when asked and an employer deciding that their services aren't needed at the moment but still paying them to not work.

I think it's stupid that the Rockets aren't playing him, but nowhere in the contract that Wall signed is there a minutes clause or anything. As long as the Rockets are paying him the contract he agreed to, then there is nothing ethically wrong.

[TacoLord]

Even if they get a 2nd or 2 out of it, it's free assets, so why not? I can't see getting a 1st in this deal, unless it's heavily protected. I think the Lakers would have more options if trying to shop Westbrook at the trade deadline rather than Wall, so I wouldn't make the move if I were them.

[tigerae]

It won't happen, no way Lakers are giving up picks for Wall who has been injury prone. No matter how much the Rockets keep leaking this story to the media.

However, just like the NBA allowed the Sixers to fine and withhold money from Simmons for not playing, the NBA should fine the Rockets for not allowing him to play. They need to either play him or trade him/let him go in order for him to play elsewhere. The Supermax contract should force a team to play players unless there is a good reason (for example an injury).

They are basically messing with his career atm. Who knows what he may have left in the tank and no one will give him more than the minimum once his contract expires if he is unable to show that.

surely you see the difference in a employer refusing to show up to work when asked and an employer deciding that their services aren't needed at the moment but still paying them to not work.

I think it's stupid that the Rockets aren't playing him, but nowhere in the contract that Wall signed is there a minutes clause or anything. As long as the Rockets are paying him the contract he agreed to, then there is nothing ethically wrong.

In normal circumstances of course I can see players not playing because of fit or whatever but when you give a player a supermax contract then he should dress and play if he's able to do so. Maybe then teams won't be so quick to just give those out or trade for players with supermax contracts. If he is unable to play anymore for any good reason, injury, out of shape, etc. then I'm all for it.

My point is you can't just trade for him and keep a player hostage. They are potentially ruining his career and any potential to get paid more money in the future. No one thought CP3 would get paid much more beyond his max contract yet he had made the Suns a championship contender and got paid again. Wall has been willing to play for the Rockets they just don't want him there. If you don't want him there buy him out or trade him and let him go elsewhere where he can play. The league or at least the NBPA should get involved here.

[BallerTalk]

It won't happen, no way Lakers are giving up picks for Wall who has been injury prone. No matter how much the Rockets keep leaking this story to the media.

Hate to break it to you but this far more likely a Lakers media play by one of their litany of notorious mouthpieces.
Just another step in their ongoing campaign to convince the public (and other NBA GMs) they aren't desperate to move on from Westbrook.
Obviously it's the right strategy but I doubt anyone is buying it.

Also, the Rockets have no impetus to make this move.
Those are virtually identical contracts with Wall being a player the front office already has a rapport with. Westbrook would almost certainly be less amenable.
Failing all else they still have the option of buying Wall out at a discounted number and most importantly the resolution of the Wall situation will not impact the Rockets' upcoming season one iota.

The Lakers however are on the other end of that spectrum with hopes of field a contender during Lebron's waning years.
Last season's Westbrook experiment was an unmitigated disaster so simply running it back is clearly less than ideal.
Even the "nuclear option" of buying Westbrook out still leaves the Lakers in a capped out situation with very little flexibility.
So how they resolve the Westbrook situation is absolutely crucial to what the Lakers hope to do next season.

[WaltFrazier]

I just want to see Wall play somewhere. Its a crazy system that has a healthy player sit a whole season

[Ballerhogger]

the rockets need to stop posturing and get value back, they have until trade deadline to get something done or they have to buy him out and all 30 teams know it.

Value and John Wall don’t go together especially with his ridiculous contract. He’ll be bought out.

At full amount … which they rather not do … I don’t get the picks … they have no leverage here. Fine keep paying him to ride the bench .

[Ballerhogger]

It won't happen, no way Lakers are giving up picks for Wall who has been injury prone. No matter how much the Rockets keep leaking this story to the media.

Hate to break it to you but this far more likely a Lakers media play by one of their litany of notorious mouthpieces.
Just another step in their ongoing campaign to convince the public (and other NBA GMs) they aren't desperate to move on from Westbrook.
Obviously it's the right strategy but I doubt anyone is buying it.

Also, the Rockets have no impetus to make this move.
Those are virtually identical contracts with Wall being a player the front office already has a rapport with. Westbrook would almost certainly be less amenable.
Failing all else they still have the option of buying Wall out at a discounted number and most importantly the resolution of the Wall situation will not impact the Rockets' upcoming season one iota.

The Lakers however are on the other end of that spectrum with hopes of field a contender during Lebron's waning years.
Last season's Westbrook experiment was an unmitigated disaster so simply running it back is clearly less than ideal.
Even the "nuclear option" of buying Westbrook out still leaves the Lakers in a capped out situation with very little flexibility.
So how they resolve the Westbrook situation is absolutely crucial to what the Lakers hope to do next season.

Wall not good enough to change the lakers season to where we should give pick . He hasn’t played in how long? So there no reason to give anything expect Westbrook which we won’t even do at this point.

[Hold That]

I would toss them a protected second round pick top 50 protected since the Rockets want to play games

[BallerTalk]

Wall not good enough to change the lakers season to where we should give pick . He hasn’t played in how long? So there no reason to give anything expect Westbrook which we won’t even do at this point.

Cool. Run it back, lol.

Again, some Lakers fans seem to be confused about who is the beggar and who is the chooser in this scenario.
The Rockets have absolutely no reason to do this without compensation.
The Lakers, on the other hand, have plenty of reasons to want to make a move.

If the Lakers don't want to pay that price that's totally fine. Good luck in Year 2 of the Westbrook era.
But repeatedly dropping these leaks and rumors trying to convince folks you aren't eager to move him isn't fooling anyone.

After this season's train wreck, to move Westbrook you are either going to have to attach draft capital or take back longer bad contracts (or both) and the world knows this.
So despite their creative narrative pushing, the Lakers still have zero leverage in trading Russ.

[JN61]

Wall is worse player on literally every aspect of the game. I don't know where this delusion comes from where people think wall is some kind of a shooter or defender at this point.

[Temuhjan]

If the Lakers is attaching a pick to Russ, would they rather have Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier or would they rather have John Wall in return?

[BallerTalk]

If the Lakers is attaching a pick to Russ, would they rather have Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier or would they rather have John Wall in return?

Perhaps, but then you have to consider Hayward's contract runs a year longer and Rozier's two years longer than Westbrook's or Wall's. Plus the Lakers would likely have to add a player to match salary.

[kuclas]

I just want to see Wall play somewhere. Its a crazy system that has a healthy player sit a whole season

It should be illegal what houston is doing. A healthy player sitting out say the last 2-3 months is pushing it already (like al horford with okc) clearly tanking. But for John wall to sit out probably till close to trade deadline feb 2023 without a trade. Than getting waived would be crazy.

[dougthonus]

the rockets need to stop posturing and get value back, they have until trade deadline to get something done or they have to buy him out and all 30 teams know it.

Wall's probably like 30-40M overpaid, even for this season. It isn't such a big deal with only one year left, but I don't think you can get anything for him. Maybe you could trade him for Gordon Hayward if the Hornets decide they want to salary dump him. Maybe you could eventually get Westbrook and a 2nd rounder or two then buy out Westbrook instead.

[dougthonus]

Wall has been willing to play for the Rockets they just don't want him there. If you don't want him there buy him out or trade him and let him go elsewhere where he can play. The league or at least the NBPA should get involved here.

I would note the following:
1: The Rockets are trying to trade him and have gotten no meaningful offers (unsurprisingly given that there's no reason to think Wall should have any trade value).

2: To my knowledge, the Rockets were willing to buy him out (and probably still are), but John Wall would not accept a buyout that cost him any money. He wanted to be fully paid and choose to stay there to get the full amount of his contract rather than give something up to catch on to another team. That is no longer a buyout, that is Wall wants to be waived and the Rockets will likely do that if they can't trade him prior to the deadline, but makes no sense for them to give up on the possibility of a return prior to that.

Wall's not being cheated here. He's getting paid, and he almost certainly could have gotten out of this deal if he was willing to give up some money to do so. He has that option at the table. If you can show me something where John Wall said he'd give back 10M per year to get out of his deal (which is less than 25%) and the Rockets refused, I might have some sympathy here, but otherwise, Wall has just chosen the money over the opportunity which is totally fine, but not something anyone should step in and do something about.

[dougthonus]

Wall is worse player on literally every aspect of the game. I don't know where this delusion comes from where people think wall is some kind of a shooter or defender at this point.

I don't know why anyone would want to trade Westbrook for Wall either. Seems pretty awful. Though would be hilarious if the Rockets traded Westbrook for Wall and got a pick, then 2 years later traded Wall for Westbrook back and got another pick.

Either way, maybe if the Lakers are enamored they'd attach a 2nd rounder, but I can't imagine them doing more than that. I don't know how anyone could be certain Wall is an upgrade. That seems like about a 10% chance that he's better than Westbrook to me, but maybe if you liked his personality or something else more, you could give up a mid 2nd rounder (which is completely worthless 95% of the time) to make the swap.