The Houston Rockets will have played the entire 2021-22 NBA season without former All-Star John Wall receiving even a second of playing time. The original expectation was for the rebuilding Rockets to facilitate a trade to send him to a team that wanted to give him playing time — no team decided to pursue a deal given his massive salary.
Both the Rockets and Wall need to find a resolution in the offseason. There’s no sense in paying a supermax salary to a player who isn’t going to play. There’s also no reason for Wall to be sitting out multiple seasons despite being fully healthy.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, John Wall plans to exercise his $47.4 million player option in the offseason. The Rockets are expected to look for a trade for Wall after he picks up his option.
“As expected, John Wall is going to exercise his $47.4 million player option for next season, I’m told. After that, the Rockets will have time to look for a trade to move Wall.
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With Wall becoming an expiring deal next season, it could make him easier to trade since teams could look to move off long-term salary in a trade to acquire him. Potential trade suitors before the trade deadline were reluctant due to him being signed through 2022-23.
Scott reported that if the Rockets prove unable to find a trade, he will look to facilitate a buyout agreement to become a free agent. After doing so, he’d like to have a role on a winning team.
“If Houston can’t find a trade partner for Wall, his representation at Klutch Sports is expected to work with the Rockets on a buyout agreement before next season. A potential buyout agreement would allow Wall to take advantage of the (free agent) market. Wall turns 32 in September. He’s healthy. I’ve heard he’d like to be on a winning team and have a role.”
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At a much lower cost, there should be plenty of teams interested in pursuing John Wall if he were to become a free agent. Whether he’d be willing to come off the bench or not will be interesting to see, and could open up more options on a winning team.
