Its because by his own words he is the leader of the team which was weird since at the time Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, Victor Oladipo, Christian Wood, and Demarcus Cousins were all employed by the team. Also the way he plays, with the ball in his hands at all times, hinders the growth of other younger players on the team. Lastly, stats are overrated...the guy clearly isnt as good as his stats suggest.
I know everyone is ripping on his contract and rightfully so, but let's not overlook the guy's play either. Yeah, his raw numbers look OK considering he hasn't played in two years. But he was remarkably inefficient, like Westbrook level bad. And advanced stats say he had an atrocious year (negative WS and BPM). So, yeah, the contract is awful, but it's especially terrible when you factor in that he was a well below average starting point guard this season who missed a ton of time and gets paid like a top 5 player in the league. Wall seems like a nice guy and he plays hard when he actually sees the floor. But the hate is 100% justified. He's just eating minutes from players who might have a longtime future on the roster. If there's a way for him to be gone without giving up assets, the Rockets need to explore it.
Terrible inefficient chucker. Great if you want to secure the tank but horrible for pretty much anything else. Want to win? Nope. Development of younger players? Nope. Create a good culture? Nope. Wall needs to go.
This. That is a huge asset, if not in trade then in free agency when you've suddenly got a ton of money available to add to whatever's been built. Anyway you slice it, via trade, via buyout or via contract end all of the scenarios involving his contract that don't include lighting draft picks on fire are better than lighting draft picks on fire. IMO that includes trying to stretch his contract and artificially lowering your own salary cap which sounds like a Fertitta move. If they get off Gordon's contract this summer, being able to stomach Wall's max deal is a lot easier.
Because he had averaged 32 games a year the last 4 seasons or so and he pushed that all the way to 40ish this season. And yet we owe him 100+ million over the next two seasons. Nobody is excited about an injured superstar that plays selfishly if/when he plays at all.
Well you see it was this perfect storm of having an owner who will not go over the luxury tax, getting a player who makes more than whole teams did in the mid 90s. It was almost as if we traded our best player for draft picks and had nothing left to do but hate on a guy making 40 million for an owner who will not go over the cap. It’s almost as if we lost so much this season there was little else to focus on besides the fact there is a 48% chance all the losing will not even lead to a high draft pick. But I digress. This is only one version of Rockets reality in 2021. The alternative historical perspective, John Wall is known as one of the greatest generals of all time. He still thinks he is a floor general bit his value now falls under the armored division.
the 2020/21 season is over so not sure why that’s relevant or part of “next few years”. He’s got one more year then will be an expiring. Sorry that doesn’t fit the narrative
He is a salary place holder for our championship push. We grow the youth with Wall on the roster he expires. Then we use is salary spot to sign our hero and the team will be ready/mature as the 2021 rookie contracts are pushed and capped for a few more seasons as the newer rookie contracts follow.
https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/john-wall/ John Wall Current Contract So next season, we're stuck with him. Season after, he's not dumb....he's going to opt in. So 2 more years of him.....but he sticks out like a sore thumb. Stone needs to work some magic to move this guy.
No hate here. He just makes too much money and will not be a part of any Rockets future success. The quicker his money comes off the books, the better imo. I’d be shocked if the Rockets can deal him without attaching several picks. I know it’s been said that he’s been a positive regarding leadership. That said, I prefer someone who has won in the past and isn’t so costly.
When someone asks this question, I confidentially can make the assumption their basketball IQ isn't very high.
Contact aside, I don't think he'll be any worse than he was in 20-21. I think he can improve quite a bit and be that "team leader" and develop trust with teammates. It's a challenge when there was so much roster turnover and guys like Wood and Gordon were injured for significant weeks at a time. The fact is he played most of the year without major injuries or setbacks. I think his value can be rehabilitated on the Rockets' 21-22 throwaway year like how Paul's value went back up during his one year with the Thunder. It's still not a great position to be in with his contract, but the Rockets wouldn't be much better with Westbrook, and I don't think there would be a great return for Westbrook in a "re-do" trade either. Houston got a future first from Washington which isn't too bad. I don't think any team would trade for Westbrook and give up anything better, and any return would have likely required taking on other bad contracts. There's a lot outside of Houston's control regarding the draft and free agency, but let's see what Stone can cobble together over the next couple of years.
I defended Wall in the beginning based solely on stats. But seen him play many games with Rockets I realized that guy simply is an average passer and takes way too many shots for a PG. He single handily just cannot take over and win games for the team so it makes no sense for him to shoot as many shots as he does. Plus the court vision to make other players better is simply missing in my opinion. Considering Rockets is rebuilding I simply just do not see him being a good fit for young talent to develop. Maybe if Rockets can surround him with better talent he can flourish but as of now I just dont see it.
Close but not quite .... You grow the youth with him on the roster but because Wood , Porter & Tate all expire along with Wall & EG , you have to move Wall at the deadline in 22/23. Simply letting him expire wont magically create cap space because of all the cap holds for the above going into the 23/24 offseason. The team currently has 8 players under contract for the 22/23 season. Wall EG Wood Augustin Porter Khyri Thomas Martin Tate. Everyone But Martin & Thomas will be expiring after the 22/23 season. Tate - UFA Porter - RFA Wood - UFA If you are trying to create actual cap space , you have to renounce those players and I just can't see that happening. Ideally you have a pile of picks that you can attach to Wall & EG in separate deals at the 22/23 trade deadline to bring in one superstar & another high quality player which allows you to go into the offseason and keep your own FA's.
