Props to the organization for believing in Wood and Porter, as they did not have to cough up much financially, but rather let the two earn their share. Both guys have All-Star potential and can make for a dangerous pick and roll combo. This will be a big year for them to improve their game and put the league on notice.
Outside of the four players mentioned above, they have the high-flying, glass-cleaner Kenyon Martin Jr., the athletically-gifted, Josh Christopher, and the defensive menace, Usman Garuba. All three have immense potential to have great NBA careers and will benefit from learning from experienced vets in John Wall and Eric Gordon. Wall will not play as the team came out and said they will look for a deal, but he should be a good mentor for the others in the meantime. These two players will play a huge role in the development of the young guys, but it is not crazy to think that both of them will part ways before the season’s end.
The recent rumor around the NBA has been that a John Wall and Ben Simmons swap with the Philadelphia 76ers may be in the works, per Evan Dramell. For this trade to actually happen though, the Rockets would have to part with picks and one of their promising youngsters. Jae’Sean Tate would be a good name to throw in there, but the Sixers would really have to be sold on a duo of Wall and Joel Embiid for this to happen.
If this were to go through, the Rockets would get an elite playmaker and defender in Simmons and would have the ability to play him at the forward instead of the guard position. Enough of the hypotheticals though, let’s get into what might unfold this year in Houston.
potential John Wall trade is desired by the franchise</a>, it begs the question, can they pull it off? It would not be the first time they found themselves in a sticky situation with a highly-paid star (Russell Westbrook and James Harden), but they brought in Wall in one of those deals to match the salary he made. Ideally, the team wants to avoid having to do this again as they wish to free up their cap for the young squad they have put together, but it may not be possible.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources: John Wall, Houston Rockets meet and mutually agree to work together on finding a new home for the five-time All-Star guard. Plan is for Wall to be present at training camp, but not play in Rockets games this season.</p>
<p>Details: <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/22/houston-rockets-5-bold-predictions/"https://t.co/oKzzdKR2zt">https://t.co/oKzzdKR2zt
<p>— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/22/houston-rockets-5-bold-predictions/"https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1437829737943076869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>September 14, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>The only team that has any available cap space is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now is that a team that should look to acquire a 32-year-old former All-NBA player? It would be hard to imagine considering they have set themselves up for a long rebuild but could happen if the Rockets include their draft capital. Outside of them though, there is not another team that has the cap to get Wall without throwing money back Houston’s way. Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers can facilitate a three-team deal with Houston so that Wall, Ben Simmons, and Kevin Love can all find new homes, but even that is a reach.</p>
<p>Due to make over $91 million in the next two years, it is going to take Houston parting ways with their assets to get Wall off their books. Another Al Horford in OKC situation could arise if the Rockets cannot find a way to move Wall. A buyout could be possible too, but that’s the last resort for Houston as they do not want to have any financial responsibility for Wall. Do not be surprised if a Wall trade does not happen for a while or until next season.</p>
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<img class="wp-image-435580 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/22/houston-rockets-5-bold-predictions/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1302857265.jpeg" alt="Houston Rockets" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1302857265.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1302857265-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Houston Rockets (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Houston Rockets predictions: 4. Eric Gordon will be traded by the deadline</h2>
<p>Injury-plagued for the past couple of years, Eric Gordon is looking to get back on track. He’s a huge factor on the court as a 3&D specialist, but his contract and age don’t exactly go with the direction of the roster. Mentoring the young players will be a big role that the organization is expecting him to excel in, and maybe why he lasts past the season. It is not that likely though that he sticks as he would take away minutes from the young players, and could get the Rockets an offer they cannot refuse.</p>
<p>He’s a career 16.6 points per game scorer and 36.8 percent three-point shooter in his thirteen-year career. While it may seem like he’s older, he will be 33 in December and could be a huge contributor to a title contender. He’s under contract for another three years, and at $20 million or less per year, he could be a desirable trade target as the season unwinds. Any team in the race for an NBA Finals appearance this season will have the talented shooting guard on their radar. Parting ways would probably be the best decision for both Gordon and the team, as he chases a title and the organization focuses on the young core.</p>
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