Houston Rockets: A Chronology of the John Wall situation

When John Wall was traded to the Houston Rockets he joined a team that featured James Harden and had been a perennial playoff team. Flash forward some 15 odd months, and Wall is in a very public spat with the worst team in the NBA over whether he should be allowed to basketball. How did it ever come to this?

This is the chronology of the John Wall-Houston Rockets situation told through tweets.

The Houston Rockets trade for John Wall

Every story has a beginning, and John Wall’s story in Houston started under dubious circumstances. One year after trading for Russell Westbrook that Rockets and Westbrook were already looking for a divorce. 

Wall wasn’t targeted by the Rockets for his skill, fit, or ability, but rather because he was the best they could get in return for Westbrook. The two are on nearly identical massive contracts, $91 million over the next two seasons, and due to Wall’s former exploits as an All-NBA player, there was some upside to the move. 

Needless to say, nothing went the Rockets’ way last season. James Harden asked for a trade shortly after Westbrook was gone, Wall was hurt and a shell of his former self, and the Rockets endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history. 

The Rockets and John Wall come to a decision

In mid-September, it was reported that the Houston Rockets and John Wall had come to an agreement where he would sit out games while the front office looked to find a trade. The Rockets explained that they wanted to give reps to Kevin Porter Jr and Jalen Green to foster their development, and Wall would inhibit those aims. 

However, the arrangement wasn’t one-sided. Wall agreed to sit out with the understanding that the Rockets would do more than just look to trade him, but that they would be successful in doing so.