The Best Fits For John Wall

It may feel like ages ago, but a few years back, John Wall was considered one of the best point guards in basketball. His quickness and speed were an absolute blur, he was virtually able to get around or past just about anybody he so chose, combining that with his excellent touch around the rim made him a guy you could count on to give you over 22 PPG in his sleep. Not to mention, he was one of the best passers in the game at one point, once averaging over 10 APG, being among the league leaders in assists. Unfortunately, following a series of low body injuries, including left heel discomfort and an achilles tear, his star began to fade as he wasn’t able to play. Plus, being as athletically reliant as he was, enduring the devastating lower body injuries he did made it a question whether he can rebound as the same player.

Wall was able to return on an NBA court last season for the first time since the 2018-19 season, but on the Houstons Rockets instead of the Washington Wizards as he was involved in the Russell Westbrook to Washington deal. In Houston, even though he shot 40.4% from the field and only played 40 games, he showed signs of being somewhat of the player he once was, averaging 20.4 PPG and 6.9 APG. With him now having last season to get his feet wet again after not playing for long duration, I expect him to build off of last year. He still has a lot to give to the game.

According to ESPN, the Houston Rockets and John Wall have mutually agreed to part ways and they plan to not negotiate a buyout, but to seek a trade partner in the market that is interested in adding Wall to its roster. With Wall being owed $91.7M over the next two years, I, speculatively, am not sure if Houston will be able to make a deal, but there are multiple teams that could really use Wall’s services this year. Here are three teams that would be great fits for Wall:

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers may be facing a gap year since Kawhi Leonard had surgery on his ACL this offseason, which is not a quick recovery, by any means. But even when the Clippers were completely durable, they were 21st in the league in assists and lacked a high-end facilitator to run the offense. John Wall may never be quite the same athlete he once was but his feel to find open teammates is still there. John Wall can also give them an extra offensive punch alongside Paul George, Marcus Morris, and Reggie Jackson, regardless of if Kawhi is able to play or not. The Clippers did recently acquire Eric Bledsoe, who can be a solid addition for them, but that doesn’t make him untouchable, by any means, and Wall would provide the Clippers more upside. If John Wall can find a way to get back to being at least a borderline All-Star caliber player, the Clippers would have as good of a chance as anybody to win it all, when Kawhi returns.

Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are just over a month removed from dealing their long-time franchise point guard, arguably the greatest player to ever a Raptors uniform in Kyle Lowry. With the Raptors coming off a season of injuries and inconsistency, with Lowry now being gone and withGoran Dragic, who they acquired in the Lowry trade, rumored being on his way out, adding a veteran talent like John Wall to this up and coming Raptors nucleus makes a lot of sense. Wall is not the player Kyle Lowry is and certainly can’t space the floor quite m like Lowey either, but his playmaking ability would make him a strong replacement. His playmaking could really pop with the versatility and athleticism on that roster from top to bottom.

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are going to be under immense pressure very soon. They have one of the most impressive young talents the league has ever seen, an MVP type player right now in Luka Doncic, who is ready to win at a high level right now. The problem is: Luka Doncic doesn’t have the help right now; sure, Kristaps Porzingis is a good player on both ends, but he didn’t look like a #2 against the Clippers last year. Jalen Brunson is a fantastic sixth man, and Tim Hardaway is a microwave scorer capable of torching anyone in any given night, but this core is not good enough to compete far in the West, despite how talented Doncic is. If Doncic does not get past the first round this year, as unfair as it is, there is going to be a swarm of critics going after his name, calling him a disappointment and not a “winner.” It is not right, but that is the reality of the NBA media, and Luka will be able to sense that, which could create tension in Dallas down the road.

John Wall is not the answer for Dallas in terms of being a long-term Robin next to Doncic, but Doncic needs all the help he can get. Wall would be another playmaker on this roster who can take the weight off of Doncic’s shoulders. Wall’s play-style, in terms of being able to attack the rim at a relatively strong level, would create more open looks for the Doncic’s, KP’s, and the Hardaway’s of the world. Plus, he gives Dallas another player who can create his own shot at an acceptable level. I have to emphasize, this would be a bridge move for Dallas, giving them the temporary help next to Doncic. If Wall helped Dallas move past the first round, he would buy Dallas more time to add high-end talent around Doncic, while he’d get the opportunity to revitalize his career. Wall and Dallas would be a fantastic short-term marriage.

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