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John Wall’s Rockets career didn’t get off to the best start and it had nothing to do with him.
Because James Harden decided he wanted to leave Houston with two years left of his contract and showed up late to training camp, there was little to no attention in basketball.
So other than those tumultuous first weeks, Wall really enjoyed his time with his new team.
“Apart from James [Harden] not showing up to training camp and not wanting to be here, everything else was amazing, “Wall told Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington.” The most important thing is we couldn’t control what he wanted do and at the same time as an organization, you have to understand that they want to run it the way they want to. “
If it was up to Harden, he probably would have preferred to get traded when he made his initial request. But with two years and a player option left on his contract, the Rockets were able to wait for the market for the best possible return.
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While it benefited their long-term franchise by getting four first-round picks and four first-round picks from the Nets (a Milwaukee first-round player), prolonging the fight between the team and Harden made the difficult task for the rest of the team. to know how to play together.
“I think it was the hardest thing because we were all trying to find ways to bring the team together,” Wall said. “My mindset is that I just came back after quitting playing for two years, I’m trying to get things done in the right direction. There were a few small spots that we had to throw a little WD-40 to get it out properly. way. “
The Rockets are 6-9 and have the 19th best net score in the NBA. There’s still a lot to do in this regard, although it’s important to note that they haven’t yet played a game with their full roster after the Harden trade.
Talent is not an issue with Wall, Victor Oladipo, Christian Wood, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker. It’s just a matter of coming together and developing a new identity.
“I think we can be something special,” Wall said. “This is when leadership becomes a big factor,” he said. “If you don’t have a great leader your team can kind of sink and I believe in my abilities on the pitch as a leader and off the pitch to bring this team together.”
Watch Chris Miller’s full interview with John Wall on Wizards Pregame Live Tuesday night. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Washington.
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