John Wall is finalizing a buyout with the Rockets and will become an unrestricted free agent, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Wall’s agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports is meeting with Rockets GM Rafael Stone on Tuesday to complete the buyout, sources told Haynes.
Wall intends to joins the Clippers once he clears waivers, though other teams are also calling, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
There had been momentum toward a buyout or trade after Wall picked up his $47.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season last week. The size of Wall’s contract made it very difficult to find a suitable trade partner.
Wall is giving back $6.5MM in order to part ways with Houston and sign with the team of his choice, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. That’s approximately the same amount as a taxpayer midlevel exception, suggesting that’s what he’ll take from the Clippers.
Wall has played in just 72 regular season contests since the 2017/2018 season. He put up solid stats during 40 games with Houston in 2020/21, averaging 20.6 PPG and 6.9 APG. His stats peaked in 2016/17, when he averaged 23.1 and 10.7 APG for Washington. His career was sidetracked by heel surgery and a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Last season, the rebuilding Rockets opted to not play Wall as a reserve behind its young starting backcourt of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., as the two sides agreed to allow him to remain away from the team. Wall collected $43.4MM during his agreed-upon exile.