Rockets Looking to Move Wall; What Options Are Available?

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In a move that was expected after the year the team had, the Houston Rockets have decided to move John Wall. The move makes sense after the trading of James Harden early in the 2020-21 season, and the team instantly moving into rebuild mode. The 31-year-old guard does not fit into the Rockets timeline, as they look towards building around players like Christian Wood and #2 pick Jalen Green. While the Rockets are not going to be in “win now” mode for years to come, Wall is looking to win a ring like many others in the league. With a history of injuries and a hefty contract, the landing spots for Wall will more than likely be limited.

Philadelphia 76ers

Like several star guards this offseason, John Wall has already been tied to the Philadelphia 76ers. Everyone is aware of the situation in Philly at this point. A Simmons for Wall trade could happen, but both sides would need to throw in something to convince the other. Philly would need to add additional contracts or money to match his current contract, as well as asking for fewer picks than they have been rumored to. Houston would most likely have to add a young talent alongside Wall to entice the Sixers. Simmons fits within Houston’s timeline and Wall would fit alongside Embiid. He’s a dependable scorer who averaged over 20 points per game last season. The biggest concern for Philly would be Wall’s health. He has missed dozens of games over the last handful of seasons. After missing the entire 2019-20 season, he only played 40 games during the 2020-21 season. Knowing Embiid can miss games here and there, Philadelphia would most likely be hesitant to add him knowing they may only have him on the court for a fraction of the season.

Oklahoma City Thunder

If Houston were to send Wall to Oklahoma City, the organization would clear a significant amount of cap space as well as receiving a potential pick or two, something that could help them speed up the rebuild. OKC would be a part of this trade to take on the contract, while most likely getting another future draft pick as a part of the deal. If this trade were to occur, OKC could potentially work on a buyout deal, as the organization did with Kemba Walker earlier in the offseason. In that situation, he could potentially play for a championship contender if he were willing to accept a small deal or a vet’s minimum deal.

Dallas Mavericks

A trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Rockets would have benefits for both teams, but questions as well. A trade for Wall would have to include Kristaps Porzingis, as well as another player or money to make up the difference in contracts. A backcourt pairing of Wall and Luka Doncic would give the Mavs a reliable scoring option behind Luka, but the question that remains is his health. If the Rockets’ guard were to miss significant games as he has the last handful of seasons, the scoring load would be left to Luka, who has already been stuck with it. While Porzingis and Wall played around the same number of games and scored around the same number of points, it feels as if not much would change for either team. Porzingis could be an important part of the team the Rockets are building, but he is not always dependable.