Hello fattz, My beef with Wall is that he is not earning his paycheck. "Being classy" (if that's even true) is not worth $40M/year, sorry. We don't know what was said at the team meeting when both Wall and the Rockets determined that the best path forward was to send Wall home and not ask him to play. But one could easily deduce that Wall was not willing to play a bench role. Otherwise, he'd be out there showcasing his skills in hopes of generating trade value. "Classy" would be if Wall didn't opt-in to his $47.3 million player option for next season. Be classy John!
Don’t get classy and stupidity confused. Classy is you and me not knowing what goes on in team meetings. We all know Wall didn’t get his way but never heard about it. Stupidity would be to walk away from a super max deal. He will personally make more than a lot of successful corporations guaranteed. His family and their families benefit from him staying vs his ego making him walk away. We knew his contract before the trade.
John Lucas definitely played in games. Maybe you were too young to remember, but he was once the starting pg for the Rockets.
I don't think it'd happen in a way that'd work for all sides tbh so I think he sits this season too most likely as that contract is untradeable. However, I can't lie and say I wouldn't be intrigued by a Wall/Green/KPJ/Banchero/Sengun line up. It's crazy how much people forget that John Wall is one of the best assist getters of his generation, in rarefied company with the likes of Harden, Lebron, CP3, Westbrook and Nash as guys who've averaged over 10 a season. That's a LOT harder to come by than an all-star in fact, there are a lot more all stars than guys who've averaged 10 ass in a season. He'd never take the backseat role which is the problem, but if he did, John Wall could definitely lead these kids to a much better season than the last 2 were. It's actually wilful ignorance to state otherwise.
My thought is just the opposite, let the young guys watch and learn from a five time all-star. It’s more important at this point to develop a winning culture for all our young players. Just not right to take two years of basketball away (at this age) of a guy who averaged 20+ points a game for us on a recuperating leg. He needs to be out there leading this group until they are out of contention and then they can trade him and tank all they want.
I saw how Wall played 2 years ago. As a fan of Rockets, I do NOT want to see him again on the court. I would rather us get someone like Ricky Rubio than give any more minutes to Wall.
We also saw everyone look the same or worst because of the coaching or lack of. Wall is a better player then Rubio and always has been and will be, IMO.
These are John Wall's options: A) he becomes insane and opts out. B) agree in a buyout but with a certain level of discount, making him available to play, but gambling that teams would pay the same or more than the discount over the next years. C) be zero flexible, force Tillman to pay the big check, and next year sign for a vet minimum and really go for the ring. Retire with zero risk and filthy rich. If it was up to me, "C" would always be the right one.
Wall hasn't been a fraction of the player that Rubio has been the last few seasons and this is coming from someone who generally dislikes Rubio.
With the group and coaching he had two years ago….who could blame him for not passing. With thwe current group maybe he’d trust Sengun, Banchero, KPJ, and Green a bit more. He is one of the leaders in assists.