John Wall reportedly informs Rockets he wants to return to court
Houston Rockets guard John Wall reportedly wants to return to the court. Wall — who has sat out the entire season while the Rockets look for a trade partner — informed the team Friday he wants to play, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wall, 31, reportedly spoke to Rockets general manager Rafael Stone on Friday. The two sides will meet again Sunday, per Wojnarowski.
Wall and Rockets had agreed on him sitting out until a trade could be found, but the five-time All-Star guard talked to Houston general manager Rafael Stone on Friday about restarting a dialogue on a return to the active roster, sources said. Sides plan to talk again on Sunday. https://t.co/OY9pZS7XFS
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 27, 2021
Wall and the Rockets decided in September that Wall would sit while the team looked for a trade partner. The Rockets want to develop their younger players, but the team also wants to make sure Wall doesn't get injured. Wall has dealt with knee issues since his rookie season. He's also undergone heel surgery and sustained a torn Achilles during his career.
After missing the entire 2019-20 NBA season rehabbing, Wall returned last year and proved he can still put up strong numbers. Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 40 games with the Rockets last season.
Rockets haven't found trade partner for John Wall
Finding a trade partner for Wall has proven difficult. Wall still has two years and $91.7 million left on his contract. That amount makes Wall extremely tough to trade. The Rockets and Wall are reportedly not discussing a buyout, which would make Wall a free agent.
At 2-14, the Rockets have the worst record in the NBA. Wall would certainly help the team win games, but it's unclear whether that's the Rockets' goal right now. The team has shipped out plenty of talent in recent years in order to completely overhaul its roster.
