In late May, Rockets guard John Wall watched a Clippers playoff game at Staples Center alongside the parents of Paul George. On Monday, he used his Twitter account to “like” a proposed trade sending him from Houston to Los Angeles. It’s not hard to connect the dots.
Soon to be 31 years old, the five-time All-Star makes more sense on paper with a near-term title contender like the Clippers than he does with the rebuilding Rockets. That could especially be the case if Houston selects Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, which could be paired with Kevin Porter Jr. in a backcourt of rising stars. Both from a timeline and roster perspective, Wall’s fit is unclear.
Yet, the challenge comes in the finances. Because the Clippers are above the league’s salary cap, they have to send out nearly as much money in trades as they take in. With Wall making well over $40 million annually, Los Angeles would have to send Houston something in that ballpark for a trade to work within the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
The proposal referenced in the article has Marcus Morris, Pat Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Luke Kennard being traded for Wall and Milwaukee’s 2023 first-round pick, which is owned by Houston. But, as the article points out, that deal appears to be lopsided in Houston’s favor from a talent perspective. And if Morris is subtracted from the deal, which would make it more reasonable in terms of talent, the finances don’t work.
If Wall and the teams involved want to make a deal happen, the biggest variable to watch could be whether veteran big man Serge Ibaka picks up the player option on his contract at $9.7 million for the 2021-22 season. If he does — and it’s doubtful that he could get more money as a free agent, considering that he just had back surgery — a combination of Ibaka, Beverley ($14.3 million), and Kennard ($12.7 million) is enough for a deal to mathematically work for all sides.
Image via fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine
It’s still not a given, of course, that the Clippers would see Wall as an upgrade on Beverley and Kennard — who each had key moments during their team’s recent run to the Western Conference finals. But unlike the hypothetical with Morris and Rondo, it would at least appear to be close enough for an argument to be made. Draft considerations could also be added from one or both sides, as needed, to sweeten the pot.
A 6-foot-4 guard who is well regarded around the league for his leadership and passing abilities, Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 32.2 minutes per game with the Rockets last season.
Related
Bleacher Report proposes John Wall, Ben Simmons, Kristaps Porzingis trade
Report: Knicks could have interest in John Wall trade with Rockets
List
2020-21 Rockets roster review, offseason outlook: John Wall
