Houston Rockets: 3 trades that send John Wall to the New York Knicks

Houston Rockets trade of John Wall to the New York Knicks #2

If the Knicks want to hold onto everyone currently on their roster then a simple exchange of low-value assets could see this deal go through. With Luka Doncic in Dallas, it’s unlikely that the Mavericks will miss the playoffs for the next decade, which means the final draft pick from the Kristaps Porzingis trade has little remaining value.

The pick that the Knicks are surrendering in this trade is likely to be at best in the high-teens and even if the Mavericks fall apart the protections on it mean it won’t convey if it’s in the top-10. Once again, this return seems light for the Rockets but it cannot be overstated how undesirable Wall’s contract has become.

The Knicks are one of the few teams with the cap space to take on a contract of this magnitude without having to jettison half of their roster, which means they’re essentially negotiating with themselves. The Rockets’ have likely had internal conversations about a buy-out of Wall, so anyway they can get off his deal they’ll look to take.

At the end of the day, this deal works out well for both the Knicks and the Rockets. The Knicks get a new point guard and keep their roster and draft picks intact, while the Rockets get salary-cap relief and another first-round pick to add to their growing store.

Next: Trade #1