Report: Rockets acquiring John Wall from Clippers in three-team deal with Grizzlies
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John Wall may return to the Rockets. (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, 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 2-year, $13.2 million deal after reaching a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets on June 28. Wall was utilized regularly in the Clippers’ offense until he sustained 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 the team. He spoke about recently on the “Run Your Race” podcast, saying it was “Beyond trash.”
Wall cited James Harden’s lack of commitment to the team as an issue, claiming that he even 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. He referenced the loss of his mother, Achilles injury and COVID as motivators to get back on the court after a two-year absence.
Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in January and Wall claimed that the team tanked to secure a top draft pick. Houston won 17 games that season 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 line-up was: me, David Nwaba, Jae’Sean Tate, Justin Patton and somebody else. I’m like, well, who the f*ck can I win a game with, with this sh*t?”
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, 2.0 threes and 1.1 steals.