Clippers' John Wall Says He Was 'Pissed as Hell' About Rockets' Decision to Sit Him

Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall said he was not happy the Houston Rockets decided to sit him for the entire 2021-22 season, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.

"Pissed as hell. Pissed as hell. I wanted to play basketball," Wall said of the decision. "In my last meeting I had there, they were like, 'Oh, you had a great year the year before. We can't wait to have you back next year. Build on this, and try to keep helping young guys.' So I'm thinking I'll play the same role I played the year before."

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported in September 2021 that Wall and the Rockets mutually decided that he wouldn't play games for the team that season and they would work together on a trade. He remained out the entire year before agreeing to a buyout in June.

He finally found a new home with the Clippers and is averaging 16.0 points through two games off the bench in 2022-23.

The Rockets had been in the midst of a rebuilding effort after dealing away James Harden, finishing with the worst record in the NBA in each of the last two years. The organization wanted to see what it had from young guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. rather than utilize the veteran Wall.

As Wall explained, they gave him an option to play about 10 minutes per game last season or sit out and work on a trade. He chose the latter, but no deal was reached.

Without basketball, the 32-year-old struggled mentally and even had suicidal thoughts, as he detailed in an essay for The Players' Tribune.

Wall now has a fresh start in his basketball career with the Clippers, joining friend Paul George.

The five-time All-Star is unlikely to reach his previous form after playing just 40 games in the last three seasons, but he can be an integral part of the rotation for a team with high expectations.