The big question facing Houston Rockets guard John Wall this offseason was whether or not he wanted to exercise his player option for the 2022-2023 season. Turns out, the answer is yes.
Per Shams Charania, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul informed the Rockets that Wall will indeed exercise his $47.4 million option for next season. Charania added in a follow-up that the two sides will “work through a resolution on Wall’s tenure in the near future.”
Both sides are expected to work through a resolution on Wall’s tenure in the near future. https://t.co/fGf4ByrNlC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2022
Wall came to Houston via trade before the 2020-2021 season after missing the entire previous year with an Achilles tear. He started 40 games that year for the Rockets, averaging 20.6 points and 6.9 assists before the team shut him down in the hopes that he would be healed up for the following season. However, with the Rockets looking to the future, he and the team eventually agreed that he would sit out the 2021-22 season as Houston tried to trade him. The team was unable to find a trade partner for the 31-year-old with a massive salary and long history of injuries.
Still, the five-time All-Star has a lot to offer to an NBA team, especially a contender looking to fill out their roster with a missing piece. So it will be interesting to see how his decision to exercise that option impacts his trade potential.
In the meantime, the NBA world had some strong reactions to the news.
Rockets: We'll buy you out if you're willing to take a little less money.
Wall: No I want every penny.
Rockets: That's totally fair. So we're at an impasse.
Rich Paul: The Rockets are sabotaging my client. https://t.co/PBKrLSSF6q
— The Dream Shake (@DreamShakeSBN) June 21, 2022
I mean, yeah https://t.co/cjhCOnIgPw
— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) June 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/arrosen76/status/1539349746887933958
https://twitter.com/Kofie/status/1539340717897695236
https://twitter.com/BigWos/status/1539358820387811328
John Wall out here making $50 million next season is insanity https://t.co/8Rl3RNVhfh
— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) June 21, 2022
[Shams]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.