NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on John Wall's Future, Frank Vogel, Lakers
We're almost a month-and-a-half into the 2021-22 NBA season, yet rumors continue to circulate at a frenzied pace. And that's unlikely to change anytime soon.
Which players will get dealt before the Feb. 10 trade deadline? The Sacramento Kings have already fired head coach Luke Walton, so what other teams could follow suit with leadership changes of their own? And how will any moves affect this campaign and beyond?
Here's some of the latest buzz from around the NBA.
Will Wall Play for Rockets or Get Traded?
John Wall has yet to play a game for the struggling Houston Rockets this season, and it's unclear whether that will change. It seems that the 31-year-old point guard and the team have differing opinions regarding what his role with the team should be.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Wall met with general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas on Sunday to "reiterate his desire to return to the lineup in a feature role." But the Rockets are reluctant to accommodate that request, as they would rather have Wall serve in a "complementary role" to their young core players.
Wall is healthy after playing 40 games during the 2020-21 season, his first with Houston. The two sides had agreed for Wall to sit out while a trade could be sought out.
NBA analyst Jordan Schultz reported that Wall "sees himself as the No. 1 option" for the Rockets if he returns and that he would want to "have the green light at all times." But Wall disputed that in response to Schultz's tweet:
Wojnarowski reported that there are several contending teams with interest in Wall, but his $47 million player option for the 2022-23 season makes it "nearly impossible to incorporate him into a team."
Without Wall, the Rockets have gotten off to a 3-16 start. However, they have been playing better of late, as they are currently on a two-game winning streak after dropping 16 of their first 17 contests.
Could Vogel Soon Be on Hot Seat in Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles Lakers are a franchise with high expectations on an annual basis. So when they don't get off to the best of starts, it doesn't take long for there to be some buzz regarding potential change.
Having lost five of their past eight games, the Lakers are 11-11 heading into their final game of November, Tuesday's road matchup against the Kings.
With a core featuring LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, the Lakers were expected to fare much better. Injuries have played a role in that, but there have also been times when the team has struggled.
According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, there has been "indeed growing chatter in both coaching circles and the coaching agent world" that head coach Frank Vogel may need to get the team on track "sooner rather than later." If he doesn't, perhaps there is the potential for change.
Vogel is in his third season as the Lakers head coach, and he owns a 105-60 record. He also led Los Angeles to an NBA title during the unorthodox 2019-20 season, which ended in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida.
Considering the amount of talent on the roster, the Lakers may get rolling soon and Vogel may have nothing to worry about. But it will be interesting to see what happens if their struggles continue as the new year approaches.
