John Wall’s time as a Houston Rocket has officially come to an end. After being discarded and pushed aside by the franchise, Wall bemoaned over his treatment during his transient two-year window there. As the former five-time All-Star worked tirelessly to prove that his time as an upper echelon guard was far from over, he believes he was given the short end of the stick.
After averaging 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 40 games during the 2020-21 season, Wall would never suit up for the franchise again. Now, after another wasted year of his career, the two have agreed to a buyout of his enormous contract. According to various sources, Wall has agreed to forgo $6.5 million of his $47.4 million dollar deal.
With his NBA freedom granted, Wall has already chosen his next destination…the LA Clippers. Although the former All-NBA guard has played sparingly over the past three seasons, his addition to a star-driven lineup spells doom for the rest of the Clippers competition. Wall’s arrival shouldn’t be viewed as innocuous. With a gigantic chip on his shoulders and surrounded by the most talented players he’s ever teamed up with, here are a few reasons why John Wall will be an absolute game changer for the Clippers.
Put on your track shoes
Bereft of any high-level talent for much of the year, Reggie Jackson, the Clippers starting headman, was often forced to slow the tempo of the game down in an attempt to run their half-court offense. Although Clippers fans yawned as Jackson slowly trotted up the court, they’ll be in for a whirlwind of a change now that John Wall is set to join in on the fun.
During the 2018-19 season, Wall’s final year before his body began breaking down, his Washington Wizards finished the season in the top 10 in terms of pace.
Still blessed with a second gear that few humans are able to reach, Wall should speed up the Clippers’ offense, allowing their star wings and role players to benefit from easy transition buckets. At this point, if everyone remains healthy, the Clippers are a virtual lock to make the postseason. Underneath those intensive lights, teams often spend their time fighting meticulous and mundane battles in the half-court.
With Wall on the verge of joining their ship, LA won’t be subjected to arduous offensive possessions when the chips are on the line. Instead, he’ll snag the ball off the rim and push the tempo of the game, even when his own teammates struggle to keep up with him.