John Wall’s experience with the Los Angeles Clippers this year didn’t go according to plan.
Although there was hope that the 32-year-old would be able to seamlessly slide in next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to give L.A. the backcourt offensive threat they’ve needed for years, Wall’s fit with the squad proved to be clunky.
Heading into the NBA Trade Deadline, it became apparent that Wall wasn’t long for the Clippers. The question was just whether they would deal him first, or simply dump him after Feb. 9.
In the waning moments of Feb. 8’s high-paced NBA Trade Deadline, Los Angeles traded Wall to the Houston Rockets in a multi-team swap.
Given Wall’s history with the Rockets, it seems clear that he will get waived.
Rafael Stone: “We do intend to waive John Wall.”
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) February 10, 2023
The question now is: where will he go after that is done?
Before going down with an abdominal injury in mid-January, Wall was averaging 11.4 points per game on 40 percent shooting from the field. Not great efficiency, obviously, but he could definitely still serve as a spark plug offensively off the bench.
Given their need for guys who can create offense independently of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, John Wall heading to the Los Angeles Lakers would make a lot of sense. He has been linked to the organization frequently in recent months for a reason, after all.
A Suns legend officially welcomed Kevin Durant to Phoenix. https://t.co/G84ZgoFfRD
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 10, 2023
Obviously D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley make someone like Wall less of a necessity for L.A. than he was in the past, but he could still give them some strong minutes off the bench.
The Washington Wizards are another team to keep an eye on. Wall has previously stated that the door isn’t closed for him and a possible reunion with the team that he became a star with.
John Wall (@JohnWall) taking time to sign autographs for Wizards fans. Always a real one 💯 @dbltakesports #DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/bQgN69IhiC
— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) December 10, 2022
I asked @JohnWall if playing tonight in front of fans and getting the win gave him closure. His response:
“Nah…I’m still not saying goodbye. You never know what the future can hold.”#DCAboveAll #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/VzBHt6lZSw
— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) December 11, 2022
“Nah, I’m still not saying goodbye,” Wall said following a Clippers-Wizards game this year.
“You never know what the future could hold. I’m not saying goodbye. It’s not closure for me… I’m gonna continue to show my love and support for this city and the people that have always been for me, and that’s never gonna change.”
The Chicago Bulls could also be in play for Wall. They are currently eyeing a different recently-traded guard, but Wall could serve as a solid Plan B for all the same reasons.
If not the Bulls, the Phoenix Suns have also been linked to Wall. “He would be another asset for the Suns, who traded for Durant,” Jason Radowitz wrote this week. “This would make sense, knowing that the Suns gave up a lot of depth for Durant and need to fill that void.”
Now that’s how you dress to the NFL Honors ceremony. https://t.co/dfFPmFxjQg
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 11, 2023
Wall has in the past hinted where he would like to go, but it is unclear whether he will actually be able to get his wish.
One way or another, Wall is going to be on the move over the next week.
Where will he ultimately end up when it’s all said and done? Time will tell.
Related: Clippers’ Biggest Concern About Russell Westbrook
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
