The Houston Rockets traded All-NBA point guard Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards for John Wall. What are the likely outcomes for this trade?
The Houston Rockets are no stranger to big deals to shake up their team’s roster. Last offseason (which feels like a decade ago) they traded Chris Paul and draft capital for Russell Westbrook. Just one season later, Westbrook is on his way out.
Wednesday evening the news broke that Houston was trading its All-NBA point guard to the Washington Wizards for former All-Star point guard John Wall. The contracts of the two players are remarkably similar max contracts, making the money easier. Along with Wall the Wizards are sending back a lottery-protected first-round pick. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first broke the news.
This was a deal that has been rumored for weeks, ever since it was reported that Westbrook was unhappy in Houston. The franchise has seen a significant amount of organizational turnover this offseason, with a new head coach in Stephen Silas and a new general manager in Rafael Stone. Westbrook reportedly made it clear to the front office that he wanted out.
The program was finding a trade suitor for the expensive guard. An obvious partner was the Wizards, as in Wall they had matching salary on Westbrook’s level. While the organization has publicly been positive, there has been behind-the-scenes friction between Wall and the team’s star shooting guard Bradley Beal.
Swapping disgruntled point guards made natural sense, but it’s not simply a seamless fit for either team. As somewhat similar players, both Westbrook and Wall may experience similar levels of friction on the court. The hope for each is that off-court drama is kept to a minimum.
While it’s clear Houston was looking to add an asset like the draft pick in moving Westbrook, what path forward did the team envision in making this move? While there are many unlikely happenings that could spring from this trade, three reasonable outcomes present themselves. Let’s begin with the worst for Houston, and end with the best-case realistic scenario.