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#7. John Wall vs. Houston Rockets
John Wall’s stay with the Houston Rockets didn’t have any drama until he played for the LA Clippers. Coming off a season lost to various injuries, Wall played just 40 games for the Rockets during the 2020-21 NBA season.
Houston unexpectedly kept Wall on the bench the following season before he was waived. The Clippers got him off the buyout market.
On the "Run Your Race" podcast, the former Washington Wizards star described his stay in Houston:
“Trash, beyond trash. We were trying to lose on purpose, tanking. "That was our starting lineup, it was like me, David Nwaba, Jae'Sean Tate, Justin Patton, someone else...How the f*** can I win a game with this s***?"
#6. Kobe Bryant vs. LA Lakers
Kobe Bryant helped push Shaquille O’Neal out of the LA Lakers in the summer of 2004. Three seasons later, he desperately wanted to force his way out of Hollywood after disappointing seasons without the legendary big man.
“KB24” appeared in several shows and interviews claiming he lost faith in the direction the Lakers were going. The Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons were just three of the teams who were reportedly going all-in for “The Black Mamba.”
The Lakers eventually convinced Bryant to stay before swinging for a trade that landed them Memphis Grizzlies star center Pau Gasol. With another go-to player on the roster, Bryant carried the Lakers to three more NBA Finals appearances, winning the titles in 2009 and 2010.
#5. Jimmy Butler vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves sensationally traded for Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls in 2017, but 69 games later, they couldn’t stand him and sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler asked the Timberwolves to trade him heading into the 2018-19 NBA season. Minnesota refused to budge so “Jimmy Buckets” nearly stayed away from the team during training camp and preseason games.
The now infamous Timberwolves practice where the forward called out his coaches, teammates and the front office may have been the last straw.
Tom Thibodeau, the team’s president of basketball operations, traded Butler to the 76ers as the team “can no longer function with him in the lineup.”
#4. Russell Westbrook vs. LA Lakers
The three-team trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in the 2023 NBA trade deadline was expected. Westbrook’s tumultuous stint in LA only meant that the team was looking to trade him.
After failing to make the playoffs during the 2021-22 season, Westbrook took a shot at everyone in his exit interview. He ripped the team’s former coach Frank Vogel for not giving him opportunities to succeed.
“Brodie” even called out NBA superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis for lying. The writing was on the wall. It was only a matter of time before the Lakers were going to ship him out. Only Westbrook’s massive contract likely prevented him from getting traded earlier.
