Rockets open to trading John Wall for Russell Westbrook if incentivized

Simmons is a problem for sure if team not structured to minimize his weaknesses, but Doc Rivers is the only HC to lose 3 playoff games with 3-1 advantage.

In entire history of NBA.

May happen again.

 

Literally nobody is saying that. Do you want him bought out right away or would you want to send him to John Walls condo in South Beach in order to try and trade him for an asset this Summer?

If Russ is hellbent on playing for the Rockets and under no condition will accept either a buyout or a stay in Miami then I only do the deal with LA if they give us the 2027 FRP, 2025 pick swap, and all 3 second round picks they have. I think everyone universally understands Westbrook actually on the Houston Rockets playing the game of basketball would be detrimental to the growth of our young talent. I don’t know one person here who has even hinted at that being an option.

 

Russ was not a cancer to the locker room when he played here. He wasn’t a good fit next to Harden but he played hard every night and actually won several games for us. I’m not saying he’d be a good fit on the court but he’s definitely not a bad guy or a destructive force in the locker room. I’m really rooting for a deal to happen so we can keep accumulating valuable draft picks, but completely agnostic on Russ. There’s no chance he eats into the development of KPJ and Christopher. At worst we pay him to stay away like Wall but I do think as an expiring contract next year he’ll still have some value if a buyout can’t be reached.

 

I can see a pride wounded Russ who just got embarrassingly dumped by LA, moving into a locker room with a bunch of young players he doesn’t respect, while he isn’t getting played the minutes and role he thinks he deserves….being a cancer. That isn’t too much of a stretch for me. Not to mention being traded back to a team he requested a trade from less than a year ago…

If I did the trade, I wouldn’t take the risk. I’d keep him far from the team, and hopefully quickly bought out.

 

There is literally no risk trading for wb and we get a first round pick for doing it.
We just sit his ass out like wall. If he wants to b free he will buyout

 

Thing I meant to add to my earlier post about preseason expectations, what’s crazy is I really think the Rockets got more crap and doubt from the media when we brought CP3 in than the Lakers did after the Russ trade.

The Rockets won 55 games the year before trading for CP3 and Vegas set our o/u at 55.5.

The Lakers won the equivalent of 49 last year and Vegas set their o/u at 52.5.

 

That’s the difference in Harden/Rox hate and LBJ unconditional love.

 

If Wall is sitting taking a knee
how is
Westbrook sitting and taking a knee
+ We get a first round pick out of it.

Like Rockets are one of the only teams that
can take Westbrook contract.....Lakers are one of the few teams that can take Wall.

Difference is Lakers are in win mode now. Wall gives them a lesser knucklehead than Westbrook.

 

I think people are talking about a couple different situations here. I, for one, would gleefully swap Wall for Russ and a lightly or non protected LAL 2027 first.

For the reasons stated in my post above, I would be very, very reluctant to put an almost certainly pissed off Russ into the locker room. The risk/reward just isn’t there. So upon doing the trade, I’d want him far from the team, or even better, bought out if he would agree and just close the book (partly because I really don’t think a Russ in Wall’s situation would be staying as quiet as Wall has).

 

Russ is officially persona non grata.

 

It’s a tough call for the Lakers though. To maximize their chances this year they 100% should do this deal unless they can turn that pick into something much better.

But they may do a lot better in the off-season seeing what Russ plus a 2027 and 2029 unprotected gets them. If Lebron wasn’t 37 that would be the better strategy but wasting a year of Lebron still playing at a high level is a big cost.

 

Harden: Give me Russ!
Harden at the end of season: "F*** that guy

Lebron: Give me Russ!
Lebron during the season :F*** that guy!

 

They r literally win now mode. I would b surprised if Lakers did nothing.

Lebron isn't getting younger

 

OK, I’m sold. John Wall for Russ and ‘27 + ‘29 unprotected in the off-season.

 

Wall for Russ + 2027 pick.

Rockets should consider, but one concern is if Stone is able to make Russ sit out (like Wall), and be quiet about it.
...and no THT

For LAL, the incentives.

• Wall is a better defender and no butter fingers.
• Wall is a klutch client.
• GM Pelinka can worry less about a pick five years in the future, if he's job security is shakey right now. He might not be there by 2027, if he doesn't clean up the current mess.
• LeGM. If story that Bron wanted Russ but originally Pelinka wanted Hield is true, Bron based on his recent quotes acknowledge this Westbrook pairing is bad. If Russ is moved, there won't be any push back from their current stars.

Rockets is in no hurry to move Wall, Lakers is on the clock.

 

Yes, Wall wanted to come back but in the starter
role or position. Has anyone seen Wall start?
Backup? I'm being sarcastic with those that
think I would bring back Russ to actually play
in any capacity.

Wall is not there to poison the water
hole (young kids minds) and neither
would Westbrook.

I see it as:
A = (Wall staying as is)
A + Lakers 2027 FRP = (Westbrook deal)

Wall to Lakers being > Wall staying with Rockets
gathering dust.

Of course this is all contingent on Lakers actually agreeing. They probably have to use that pick
to move Westbrook to another team plus have to
take multiple players to equal WB's salary.

More than likely a bad contract back in return.
Wall is the best of all that in one deal. Minus
multiple players coming back.

 

Russ is 100% the WRONG example for Jalen - a guy who was UBER athletic who NEVER developed his fundamentals and always fell short because of it.

Green does not need to see that, he needs to watch the people that can dribble, move off the ball and defend.

DD

 

Why do you act like Russ would be traded to Houston to play? You know they are either going to buy him out or make his ass sit at home.

 

according to what westbrick himself said last night, well "he's earned it"

 

Which I am fine with, but I think he won't be.....his ego will get in the way.

DD