Report: Rockets acquire John Wall from Clippers in three-team deal with Grizzlies, expected to waive him

John Wall is on the move again. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

The Houston Rockets are acquiring John Wall from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to The Athletic’s Sham Charania. Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported Wednesday that the Rockets plan to waive him.

The Clippers will reportedly receive Eric Gordon and three second-round picks in the deal, while the Grizzlies get Luke Kennard. In addition to Wall, the Rockets will also take Danny Green.

Wall signed with the Clippers last summer on a two-year, $13.2 million deal after reaching a contract buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets on June 28. Wall was utilized regularly in the Clippers’ offense until he suffered an abdominal injury on Jan. 13 and has not played since. Before that, he was averaging 11.4 points, 5.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds, but on 40% shooting.

If the Rockets do waive him, it would make sense in light of how he described his previous experience with Houston. He spoke about it recently on the “Run Your Race” podcast, saying the experience was “beyond trash.”

Wall cited James Harden’s lack of commitment to the team as an issue, claiming that when he arrived to Houston, Harden was headed to Atlanta to party with rapper Lil Baby. “He don’t come to training camp, none of that, so that news is all toxic,” Wall said. Wall referenced the loss of his mother, an Achilles injury and COVID as motivators to get back on the court for the 2020-21 season. But he sat on the bench for the entirety of 2021-22 with Houston.

Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021, and Wall claimed that the team tanked that season to secure a top draft pick. Houston won 17 games and secured Jalen Green with the No. 2 overall pick.

“I mean, we lost 20 in a row; we was trying to lose on purpose – tanking,” Wall said. “Like, we started starting someone named Justin Patton! This is how our starting lineup was: me, David Nwaba, Jae’Sean Tate, Justin Patton and somebody else. I’m like, well, who the f*** can I win a game with, with this s***?”

Over the course of Wall’s two seasons with the Rockets, he appeared in 40 games, averaging 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds, two threes and 1.1 steals.