John Wall Reportedly 'Singled Out' by Rockets in Russell Westbrook Trade Talks

The Houston Rockets acquired John Wall and a protected 2023 first-round pick from the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook this week, a trade that brought the third different star point guard James Harden will play with in the past three years. 

As Fred Katz and Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported, it perhaps shouldn't be a surprise that Wall ultimately ended up in Houston once Westbrook signaled he wanted out:

"During the course of Houston's trade talks around the league, Wall was singled out as the most intriguing option on the market. The Rockets had no interest in a major downgrade, as that would defeat the purpose of smoothing things over with Harden and might also signal a rebuild. They may be parting with a former MVP in the trade, but they still consider Wall a high-upside acquisition—as long as he can stay healthy."

The 30-year-old Wall should be a better fit alongside James Harden than Westbrook. Wall is a better passer and has played with a talented 2-guard in Bradley Beal who was also capable of running the offense. While Harden has relied on isolations to generate his offense far more than Beal ever has, the transition from Mike D'Antoni to Stephen Silas may change that offensive approach anyway. 

The additions of players like Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins could signal that Houston's small-ball days—or at least the heavy reliance on that style of play—could be coming to an end. In turn, the Rockets also need a more fluid offense built around ball movement. 

Harden's isolations worked in the regular season, but that style of play never got the Rockets to an NBA Finals. Playing Harden off the ball more and having him work around screens and get open looks in a motion offense should open up opportunities for Wall to thrive as well on the ball. 

It will be a work in progress. And it only works, regardless, if Wall is effective after missing the entire 2019-20 season following a ruptured Achilles. It's a tough injury to return from for a player who has been so reliant on his speed and burst throughout his career. 

As for whether the trade will encourage Harden to remain in Houston long term to chase a title...that's debatable. Is Houston a title contender with this roster? Probably not. Are they limited in their avenues to acquire another star, either via a trade or in free agency going forward? Absolutely. 

The Rockets may have been most intrigued by Wall on the trade market, but the jury is still out on whether this will be anything more than a lateral move.