Houston Rockets: 3 possible John Wall trade packages

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 23: John Wall #1 of the Houston Rockets shoots a three point basket during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Toyota Center on April 23, 2021 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images ) /

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Trade partners for John Wall and the Houston Rockets: Dallas Mavericks

In the classic move to swap albatross contracts to hope that a change of scenery changes the future for both sides, the Dallas Mavericks have been looking for a way to move on from Kristaps Porzingis for months. They also were in on the pursuit of Kyle Lowry this summer, assessing the need for a secondary ballhandler next to Luka Doncic. Wall is more expensive but is on the books for one season less than Porzingis, making it appealing for the Mavericks to be flexible sooner.

For the Rockets, they notably passed on a big man at the top of this season’s draft to take Jalen Green. They brought in Usman Garuba and Alperen Sengun later in the draft but taking a chance on Porzingis still makes plenty of sense. Sengun needs a partner next to him who can stretch the floor. That is what Christian Wood is there to do, but that is one skill set the team should not be afraid to duplicate.

Making the money work would require the Mavericks to also ship out Dwight Powell, a small price to pay to cut a year of committed salary off their books. Giving Wall a chance to play under Jason Kidd may be what is needed to unlock the type of change that reinvigorates his career.

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