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The Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets have agreed to swap two disgruntled star point guards, John Wall and Russell Westbrook, as part of a successful deal, sources told ESPN.
The Wizards are sending Wall and a 2023 lottery-protected first-round pick to the Rockets for Westbrook in a deal the two players have wanted and been brewing for weeks, sources said.
Talks had been on hold since mid-October, sources said, until the two chief executives, Tommy Sheppard of Washington and Rafael Stone of Houston, decided to call Tuesday afternoon. They struck a deal within hours, sources said.
For the Wizards and Rockets, it is hoped that the guard swap will play a role in convincing each team’s two franchise shooting guards, Bradley Beal of Washington and James Harden of Houston, to want to stay with their teams for the long term. . Harden has requested a private trade and Beal could become a free agent in 2021.
Westbrook and Wizards coach Scott Brooks has a long history, spending seven years as a player and coach together in Oklahoma City. Westbrook was the 2014-15 NBA MVP under Brooks.
Westbrook’s partnership with Harden in Houston only lasted a season after the recent MVPs played a starring role in orchestrating a 2019 summer swap that sent Chris Paul to Oklahoma City with two first-round pick and two first-round trade rights in exchange for Westbrook.
Westbrook and Harden have both informed the Rockets this offseason that they want to be moved to other destinations, particularly the Brooklyn Nets in Harden’s case, sources said.
Houston’s position on Harden has not changed, a high-profile Rockets source told ESPN, saying the team hope to be competitive with the eternal roster MVP contender this season and do not contemplate a scenario in which Harden would be traded before the opening. The Rockets have made it known they will need a return that will include a young and potential franchise cornerstone and a huge package of picks in any potential deal for Harden, sources say.
Sources said Westbrook cited a desire to “play my game” and concerns about the Rockets’ casual culture. Westbrook was a third All-NBA selection in his season with the Rockets, averaging 27.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game, despite having a slow start while recovering from surgery knee-length and adjusting to a new franchise after an 11-year in Oklahoma City.
Westbrook’s season ended on a bitter note after making it late to the NBA’s Walt Disney World bubble due to the coronavirus contraction and straining his right quadriceps during the planting schedule. The injury caused Westbrook to miss the first four games of the first round series against his former team, the Thunder. He struggled on his return, averaging 17.9 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 42.1 percent from the floor during the playoffs.
Westbrook, 32, has $ 133 million over three seasons remaining on his contract, with a player option for the final year. He’s been an All-Star in nine of the past 10 seasons and joined Oscar Robertson as the only player to average a triple-double in a season, which has earned him his last three campaigns for the Thunder.
Wall hasn’t played since December 26, 2018, missing two seasons with an Achilles and knee injuries. He still owes him three years, $ 132 million on his contract. Wall and Beal were once considered the best young full-backs in the league, but that future was derailed with the string of injuries to Wall, who showed themselves in the offseason to regain much of his speed and strength. its explosion.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.
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