By Stefan Djordjevic / info@eurohoops.net
The Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets have agreed to trade John Wall and Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster deal, the teams announced.
The Wizards are also sending a lottery-protected 2023 first-round NBA draft pick to the Rockets. If the pick doesn’t convey in that year, it has a succession of protections that include picks Nos. 1-12 in 2024, picks 1-10 in 2025 and picks 1-8 in 2026, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. If it hasn’t conveyed as a first-round pick to Houston by 2026, it becomes a second-round pick in each of 2026 and 2027.
Westbrook, 32, has $133 million over three seasons remaining on his contract, with a player option for the final year. Wall, 30, hasn’t played since Dec. 26, 2018, missing two seasons with injuries to his Achilles tendon and knee. He’s still owed three years and $132 million on his contract
While both Wall and Westbrook wanted to get out of their respective teams, this trade also served in convincing Washington’s Bradley Beal and Houston’s James Harden, to want to stay long term with their teams. Harden has privately asked for a trade, and Beal could become a free agent in 2021.