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John Wall (Houston Rockets) Being Paid 42 Million To Sit Out Season...Or Until Traded
ChillyDawg
Member Posts: 1,469
The Rockets have decided to sit a healthy John Wall while they look for a trade for him but the problem is there is no realistic trade out there for him to be made especially since teams want him to wave his final year of his contract (47 million) and he won't do that. The Rockets currently refuse to buy him out and John Wall won't give back any significant money from his contract nor void the final year of his contract. So instead of playing John Wall the NBA worst Rockets (2-16) are sitting him out until further notice. I don't know how the NBA allows a healthy player of Wall's magnitude not to suit up and play for his team. It's bad optics all the way around for the NBA and Rockets especially given the current economic situation in America in my mind. The Rockets should have never traded for him last season if they didn't want him on the court for them...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8zvtCN2NGw
Will John Wall play this season? On the Nov. 10 edition of "NBA Countdown," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that it is "becoming increasingly unlikely" Wall will play this season. The major hurdle in trade talks is Wall's contract. He is set to earn nearly $92 million over the next two seasons, including a $47.4 million player option for 2022-23. "Any team that would potentially trade for him would want him to decline that option," Wojnarowski said. "Well, he's not doing that. He's not giving that money back." Wall and the Rockets have shown no interest in a buyout, which would allow Wall to become a free agent and choose his next team. With a trade being the only possible exit strategy at the moment, Wall could be stuck in Houston for the foreseeable future.
SI https://www.si.com/nba/2021/11/24/john-wall-rockets-strange-situation
Inside the Strange John Wall Situation in Houston
The Rockets and Wall have mutually agreed to keep him out of the lineup until the team works out a trade.
Free John Wall.
Fine, don’t. But how about this: Play John Wall.
The Rockets dropped its 15th straight to the Celtics on Monday. A competitive game after two quarters devolved into a laugher after three, with a seasoned Boston team tattooing the young Houston 34–16 in the third quarter en route to an 18-point victory. Wall was there, on the bench, healthy, sharp … and unavailable.
Wall has not played a minute for the Rockets this season, with the two sides mutually agreeing (publicly, anyway) to keep him out of the lineup while Houston worked on a trade. A trade, predictably, has not happened: Wall is scheduled to make $91.7 million over the next two seasons, a contract that makes the ex-All-Star virtually immovable. With Wall out, the Rockets’ season has become an embarrassment. Houston has the league’s worst record (1–16), its worst point differential (-11.2) and are on pace to finish 5–77, which would be the worst mark in NBA history.
Why not play Wall? It’s simple, really: Houston has no interest in winning. The Rockets are in the early stages of a full rebuild. James Harden is gone, and with him went any hope of contending. Instead, Houston has gone full Process, committing heavy minutes to Porter, Green and Christian Wood while holding Wall out. Wall wouldn’t make the Rockets a good team—he was part of Houston’s 20-game losing streak last season—but a 20-point per game scorer would certainly make them better. The idea that Wall would somehow stunt the progress of Porter and Green is ludicrous.
Where is the NBA on this? For all its bluster about eliminating tanking—and in flattening the lottery odds the league has addressed it—in staying silent on Wall the NBA is effectively rubber-stamping it. Last season the league said nothing when Oklahoma City shut down Al Horford in an unabashed effort to sink in the standings. Houston is simply following the Thunder model, only the Rockets are engaged in a season-long effort.
Where is Wall on this? Wall signaled he was fine with the Rockets’ plan before the season. “We all came together and decided it was the best decision for both parties,” Wall said in September. He said he planned to be a mentor to Houston’s younger players and, according to Stephen Silas, he has. “He’s been good for our group,” Silas said Monday. “He’s been good as far as watching film with guys and pulling them aside when they come off the court … he is definitely a helpful presence.”
But why would Wall want this? He has to know: A trade isn’t coming. Teams are interested in Wall but only if he declines his $47 million player option for next season (he won’t) or wriggles free via buyout in this one (he isn’t). Rockets could also waive him. Wall looked remarkably good in returning from a two-year layoff last season. His All-Star days are over, but there’s no reason why Wall, at 31, can’t regain a place among the upper half of NBA playmakers.
The idea that he could sit out another season, as ESPN reported, is bonkers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AV5dNAObs4
Why Isn't John Wall Playing For The Rockets?
So why not play? Wall can force the issue. And there are signs he may be getting a little restless. On Monday, I tweeted how bizarre it was to see Wall on the bench in uniform but not available to play. Wall tweeted back that he wasn’t dressed (the red sweatsuit he wore on the bench closely resembled the warmup suits Rockets players wear). Later, Wall replied to a fan tweeting that Wall was being punished for something he couldn’t control with “Facts!”
Wall wants to play for a contender. I get that. But he has played 113 games since the 2017–18 season. The clock is ticking on the prime years of his career. The best way, perhaps the only way to catch the attention of a contender is to get back on the floor and show that the player who emerged as one of the NBA’s top point guards in Washington is still in him. And maybe make the Rockets respectable along the way.
Wall won’t play when the Rockets begin a three-game home stand against the Bulls on Wednesday.
But he should.
Free John Wall.
Or let him play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8zvtCN2NGwWill John Wall play this season? On the Nov. 10 edition of "NBA Countdown," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that it is "becoming increasingly unlikely" Wall will play this season. The major hurdle in trade talks is Wall's contract. He is set to earn nearly $92 million over the next two seasons, including a $47.4 million player option for 2022-23. "Any team that would potentially trade for him would want him to decline that option," Wojnarowski said. "Well, he's not doing that. He's not giving that money back." Wall and the Rockets have shown no interest in a buyout, which would allow Wall to become a free agent and choose his next team. With a trade being the only possible exit strategy at the moment, Wall could be stuck in Houston for the foreseeable future.
SI https://www.si.com/nba/2021/11/24/john-wall-rockets-strange-situation
Inside the Strange John Wall Situation in Houston
The Rockets and Wall have mutually agreed to keep him out of the lineup until the team works out a trade.
Free John Wall.
Fine, don’t. But how about this: Play John Wall.
The Rockets dropped its 15th straight to the Celtics on Monday. A competitive game after two quarters devolved into a laugher after three, with a seasoned Boston team tattooing the young Houston 34–16 in the third quarter en route to an 18-point victory. Wall was there, on the bench, healthy, sharp … and unavailable.
Wall has not played a minute for the Rockets this season, with the two sides mutually agreeing (publicly, anyway) to keep him out of the lineup while Houston worked on a trade. A trade, predictably, has not happened: Wall is scheduled to make $91.7 million over the next two seasons, a contract that makes the ex-All-Star virtually immovable. With Wall out, the Rockets’ season has become an embarrassment. Houston has the league’s worst record (1–16), its worst point differential (-11.2) and are on pace to finish 5–77, which would be the worst mark in NBA history.
Why not play Wall? It’s simple, really: Houston has no interest in winning. The Rockets are in the early stages of a full rebuild. James Harden is gone, and with him went any hope of contending. Instead, Houston has gone full Process, committing heavy minutes to Porter, Green and Christian Wood while holding Wall out. Wall wouldn’t make the Rockets a good team—he was part of Houston’s 20-game losing streak last season—but a 20-point per game scorer would certainly make them better. The idea that Wall would somehow stunt the progress of Porter and Green is ludicrous.
Where is the NBA on this? For all its bluster about eliminating tanking—and in flattening the lottery odds the league has addressed it—in staying silent on Wall the NBA is effectively rubber-stamping it. Last season the league said nothing when Oklahoma City shut down Al Horford in an unabashed effort to sink in the standings. Houston is simply following the Thunder model, only the Rockets are engaged in a season-long effort.
Where is Wall on this? Wall signaled he was fine with the Rockets’ plan before the season. “We all came together and decided it was the best decision for both parties,” Wall said in September. He said he planned to be a mentor to Houston’s younger players and, according to Stephen Silas, he has. “He’s been good for our group,” Silas said Monday. “He’s been good as far as watching film with guys and pulling them aside when they come off the court … he is definitely a helpful presence.”
But why would Wall want this? He has to know: A trade isn’t coming. Teams are interested in Wall but only if he declines his $47 million player option for next season (he won’t) or wriggles free via buyout in this one (he isn’t). Rockets could also waive him. Wall looked remarkably good in returning from a two-year layoff last season. His All-Star days are over, but there’s no reason why Wall, at 31, can’t regain a place among the upper half of NBA playmakers.
The idea that he could sit out another season, as ESPN reported, is bonkers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AV5dNAObs4Why Isn't John Wall Playing For The Rockets?
So why not play? Wall can force the issue. And there are signs he may be getting a little restless. On Monday, I tweeted how bizarre it was to see Wall on the bench in uniform but not available to play. Wall tweeted back that he wasn’t dressed (the red sweatsuit he wore on the bench closely resembled the warmup suits Rockets players wear). Later, Wall replied to a fan tweeting that Wall was being punished for something he couldn’t control with “Facts!”
Wall wants to play for a contender. I get that. But he has played 113 games since the 2017–18 season. The clock is ticking on the prime years of his career. The best way, perhaps the only way to catch the attention of a contender is to get back on the floor and show that the player who emerged as one of the NBA’s top point guards in Washington is still in him. And maybe make the Rockets respectable along the way.
Wall won’t play when the Rockets begin a three-game home stand against the Bulls on Wednesday.
But he should.
Free John Wall.
Or let him play.
Comments
Houston Rockets guard John Wall has expressed his hope to the organization that he can resume playing for the team in the near future, sources tell ESPN.
Wall and the Rockets had agreed on him sitting out until a trade could be found, but the five-time All-Star guard talked to Houston general manager Rafael Stone on Friday about restarting discussions on a return to the active roster, sources said. The two sides are expected to continue talks on Sunday.
For Wall to play this season, a compromise probably would need to be found between respecting his stature with a supermax contract and the Rockets' desire to have him play a complementary role to help develop their young core. That, along with other considerations, could be key to finding a path for Wall to play for the Rockets in 2021-22.
With two years and $91 million left on his contract, trade talks surrounding Wall have been a nonstarter this season and there is been no inclination on either side for a buyout to make him a free agent, sources said.
Wall, 31, arrived in Houston via a trade with Washington that sent Russell Westbrook to the Wizards prior to the 2020-21 season. After missing the entire 2019-20 season with an Achilles tear, Wall started 40 games for the Rockets and averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists. The Rockets and Wall agreed to shut him down late in the season, trying to protect his body and trade value.
The Rockets are counting on No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green and third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. to play cornerstone roles for the future. Before the season, the Rockets and Wall agreed that he would continue practicing and working out with the team, but wouldn't be an active player as Houston sought trade scenarios.
The Rockets are 2-16 to start the season, but ended a 15-game losing streak with a victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32737600/sources-john-wall-meets-houston-rockets-gm-coach-return-roster
Houston Rockets guard John Wall met with general manager Rafael Stone and coach Stephen Silas on Sunday to reiterate his desire to return to the lineup in a feature role -- an idea that team officials continue to be reluctant to accept in a possible return to play, sources told ESPN.
The Rockets have wanted Wall to accept a complementary role to its young players to play on this team, and the five-time All-Star guard's unwillingness to do so continues to be a hurdle for the sides in a possible return to play this season, sources said.
There is still room for conversation and circumstances to change in this ongoing saga, and the sides will continue to talk as the season unfolds. Wall has wanted to be a starter again, but perhaps a role similar to that of Derrick Rose on the New York Knicks that includes meaningful minutes off the bench could ultimately appeal to him.
The Rockets are building around No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green and third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr., but injuries could dictate a larger opportunity for Wall at some point in the season.
These differences played a part in Wall and the Rockets deciding in the preseason to keep him inactive to start the season -- with hope that an eventual trade could free him to play elsewhere, sources said. Wall's massive contract -- two years, $91 million -- has made a trade extremely difficult, and Wall approached Stone on Friday about revisiting the idea of his rejoining the lineup, sources said.
Wall, 31, has been working out with the team and would likely need to ramp up his activity significantly over a two-plus-week period to be ready to start playing. He played 40 games for the Rockets a season ago after arriving from Washington in a trade for Russell Westbrook. Wall has recovered from an Achilles injury that cost him a season-plus of his career in Washington, but didn't show he could still play at an All-Star level a season ago.
Numerous contending teams have interest in Wall as a part of a backcourt rotation, but his player option of $47 million for 2022-2023 makes it nearly impossible to incorporate him into a team.
The Rockets (3-16) have won two straight games for the first time this season.
John Wall met with Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas about returning to the lineup of the Houston Rockets.
“Rafael (Stone, the Rockets general manager) and I did meet with John (on Sunday) and he had indicated that he wants to play and work towards that so right now we’re in that phase as far as getting him back in game shape,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “He’s been doing a lot of one-on-oh type stuff and one-on-one type stuff but nothing up and down, nothing four-on-four, five-on-five.
“Right now is the ramp-up time. That’ll probably take a couple weeks. We’ll continue our conversations and try to determine what it looks like.”
Before the season, Wall agreed with Houston's plan to have him sit out while they pursue a trade. Wall has since begun lobbying directly to Stone and on social media to begin playing.
“That’s part of the discussions we’re going to be having,” Silas said. “Yesterday was discussion No. 1. That was very much centered around him getting to a place he can play in an NBA game. He’s in great shape.
“He is diligent as far as his work. He’s been positive and all that stuff. But as far as getting in game shape, our guys have had training camp and they’ve been practicing and they had games. He hasn’t had any of that. Right now, it’s about getting him to that point.”
Silas said it would be a goal to have Wall ready and available to play though there are additional considerations.
“Yeah, if he’s able to play,” Silas said. “It has to be good for everybody. It has to be good for him. It has to be good for our organization. It has to be good for our group. There’s more to it than just one conversation and getting ready to play and now you play.
“There’s what does the role look like? What does it look like for the group? What does it look like for everybody? We’re at stage one.”
Washington Post (click for full article) https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/12/03/john-wall-rockets-contract/
The scene needs only a trash can full of burning $100 bills to reach peak absurdity. A healthy John Wall sits on the bench in street clothes watching the needy Houston Rockets lead the NBA in turnovers. For the first quarter of the season, Wall has been an emblem — one that costs $44.3 million this season — of the league’s confounding and increasingly popular way to handle tricky work situations.
With load management no longer a topic worthy of excessive griping, here comes a new method to inspire outrage. Label this one unload management. When a prominent player and team can’t determine a way forward, when a good trade is hard to find, everybody just pauses and either prays for a miracle or hopes the discomfort of inaction will provide motivation to break up. Because, you know, staring matches are so professional and productive.
This NBA era of star transience has been full of awkward exit strategies. But this latest tactic is notably strange and one that both franchises and players are willing to use. It’s not just Ben Simmons refusing to play for Philadelphia, or before him, James Harden reporting late and doing everything possible to force his way out of Houston. Now there are these “mutual agreements” not to play. Blake Griffin and Detroit made the pact last season before negotiating a buyout. Oklahoma City shut down Al Horford in the second half last season before trading him to Boston over the summer. Now Wall has been chillin’ in Houston, and his case is especially concerning for several reasons.
The Rockets didn’t try to make it work to start this season, which is a different twist. Before the games began, they told Wall they wanted to go young, didn’t have a role worthy of his talent and made it simple for him to figure not playing was in his best interest. He’s a star trying to salvage his reputation after knee and Achilles’ surgeries cost him the bulk of three prime seasons. If he’s allowed only to serve as a bit player for one of the league’s worst teams, he can’t really make a compelling case that he deserves a prominent role on a contender.
It leads us to the undying problem of tanking in the NBA. While a team should have the right to go young and build for the future, the Rockets are going to extreme and pricey lengths to avoid a rudimentary level of competitiveness. They do not take care of the basketball. They have a five-time all-star point guard on the roster, and they’re paying him the second-highest salary in the league (tied with Harden). But they claim that playing Wall too much will hinder the development of fledgling guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., both of whom would benefit from sharing court time with a true facilitator.
Also Rusty Buckets: The John Wall Situation Is Ridiculous... 42 million to be a mentor. 47 million due next season. C'mon now, the NBA needs to step in and demand that the healthy Wall suit up and play.
Los Angeles Lakers Report: The Los Angeles Lakers are still looking for permanent answers as they sit at 6th in the West, and the latest Lakers trade rumors suggested a potential John Wall trade. Could they exchange point guards and send Russell Westbrook back to Houston? Russ and John Wall have similar contracts, and Los Angeles might need a change to salvage their season.
Nonstop Sports: The Rise And Fall of John Wall. This year, even though he is healthy, the Rockets are paying him $44 million dollars to not play - and Wall’s contract is considered the worst in the NBA. What happened to John Wall?
SportsMap Houston: Examining the intersection of Eric Gordon’s dominance and John Wall’s future. Following an exciting comeback against the Atlanta Hawks, Houston has won 8 of their last 10 and find themselves one of the hottest teams in the NBA over that stretch. ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein discuss the differences in how Gordon has handled the rebuilding process versus Wall, and how Houston might navigate Wall's return.
LA Lakers Report: Trade Russell Westbrook For John Wall?