The Houston Rockets are in the process of finding a new home for veteran guard John Wall. Wall is only one year removed from an Achilles injury and has one of the most exorbitant contracts in basketball. This will make it very difficult for the Rockets to find a trade partner. However, there is one team that fits the mold of a potential Wall destination better than any in the NBA: the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers have needed better point guard play for the past two seasons, and it arguably kept them from maxing out their roster. Patrick Beverley provided steady defense and 3-point shooting the last two seasons and Reggie Jackson is a solid microwave scorer who stepped up in last season's playoffs, but it's a problem if Kawhi Leonard is the best passer on the team. The best teams in the NBA typically have a very good table setter; the Clippers lack that.
Even though he's no longer at the peak of his powers, Wall is still a very good passer. For his career, Wall averages 12.8 assists per 100 possessions. Last season, he averaged 10.1 assists per 100 possessions. This decline is due to the fact that Wall took several more field goal attempts per game last season, which was justifiable considering Houston's roster after the James Harden trade. If he can rein in those shot attempts and become the best table setter he can be, that's a really useful player on a title contender.
The Clippers also have the necessary contracts to complete a Wall trade. A package of Eric Bledsoe, Luke Kennard, and Serge Ibaka cleanly fulfills the NBA's matching requirement. They may also be able to grab players like Danuel House and Khyri Thomas from the Rockets as sweeteners.
The Rockets could also just wait for Wall to come to them and negotiate a buyout agreement. So, why trade with the Clippers?
For one, Houston can generate a healthy trade exception (starting at $3.1 million) out of a deal like this. This may also be one of the few teams in the NBA that won't demand multiple first-round picks. The reason for this is two-fold:
- This isn't a contract dump. In this scenario, the Clippers view John Wall as someone who could come in and fill a position of need. They could also be nabbing Danuel House, who's a helpful role player.
- The Rockets would be taking on $14.8 million in salary for 2023-24 through Luke Kennard's contract. This is something they're hesitant to do as they would like to be a destination in free agency that summer.
Being able to successfully go from Russell Westbrook to John Wall to these three contracts without having to give up a first-round pick would be a brilliant series of transactions for Houston. It'll be difficult to pull off as the Clippers may feel they could get Wall on the buyout market later this season. However, neither the Rockets nor Wall want to do a buyout right now. Steve Ballmer is also the kind of owner who's willing to pay a ton of luxury tax to improve his team.
The rumors for this kind of trade are only going to intensify after John Wall was spotted with Paul George in Los Angeles over the weekend. With Kawhi Leonard set to miss, at the very least, a good chunk of next season, Wall could be just what the doctor ordered for LA.
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