Victor Oladipo has cleared all required physicals following his trade from the Indiana Pacers to the Houston Rockets. As such, he will join the team on their road trip and is expected to make his debut on Monday against the Chicago Bulls.
Oladipo talked to the media Sunday for the first time since the trade. He wasn't all that surprised by the deal and talked about playing with John Wall:
Oladipo said he had no warning about the trade. He found out about three minutes before it became public. “But it wasn’t shocking."
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) January 17, 2021
Oladipo said he and John Wall "already have a relationship.
"I know he wants to win and it's the same for me. I'm definitely looking forward to the damage we can do." https://t.co/RyUlY3iowb
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 17, 2021
Though he had gotten off to a solid start through his first nine games of the season, Oladipo's upcoming free agency had trade rumors swirling for a while. With the Pacers worried about losing him for nothing in the offseason, they decided to pull the trigger on this trade.
The Rockets did take a gamble on Oladipo in the final year of his contract, and the two-time All-Star addressed his free agency:
Victor Oladipo on the Houston Rockets and free agency: “If it fits, things work out, if I’m happy. Essentially, it’s like a business plan. You’ve got to go through every aspect of the business plan before you kind of figure out if you want to invest in it." pic.twitter.com/IvCm0SEhkp
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 17, 2021
There are rumors out there suggesting Oladipo doesn't want to be with the Rockets either, and that he ultimately wants to be with the Miami Heat. Even if that's the case, the star shooting guard will be professional and will give it his all in Houston.
A part of the blockbuster James Harden deal, Oladipo joins a Rockets group that's determined to prove that they have a winning pedigree. With a 4-7 record, the Rockets have a bit of work to do to turn things around.
Houston has lost three of four games, with the most recent effort a loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. While Oladipo will be making his debut, he won't get to test out the waters with Wall, who's out with a sore knee.
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