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According to reports, LA Clippers guard John Wall is expected to be traded or bought out ahead of the trade deadline. As trade activity picks up ahead of the deadline, NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that the Clippers may attempt to make some changes to their rotation.
John Wall was expected to be a major contributor for the Clippers after arriving in the offseason. Considering the price they got him for after he was bought out by the Houston Rockets, the Clippers looked to have made a great addition to their guard rotation.
Unfortunately for them, the deal has been less than beneficial for the team as Wall hasn't been as productive as expected. They are now open to trading or buying out Wall's contract.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Clippers are expected to pursue trades for the former All-Star. However, should they fail to find a trade, they will attempt to buy out his contract.
Earlier in the season, the Clippers had great expectations of Wall. Considering their struggles with finding a solid playmaking guard in the last few seasons, the former All-Star ticked a lot of boxes for the team. Pairing up with Reggie Jackson in the guard rotation, the Clippers featured one of the most potent guard combos on the floor at any given time.
Unfortunately, Wall hasn’t been as productive as the team would have expected. Meanwhile, since suffering an injury in mid-January, Wall has been sidelined for a significant amount of time. With injury concerns also being a factor, the Clippers are practically forced to look in a different direction.
Is John Wall for Russell Westbrook a possibility?
An interesting situation has presented itself for the LA Clippers. While they are in pursuit of a trade partner for John Wall, they may fail to find one and be forced to buy out his contract. This opens up an interesting avenue for the team.
Should Russell Westbrook, who landed with the Utah Jazz after being traded by the LA Lakers, also end up in the buyout market, the Clippers are expected to make a push for the guard to strengthen their rotation.
The Clippers could certainly benefit from adding a playmaker such as Westbrook. Although he has been turnover prone throughout his career, Westbrook has done some impressive work on the defensive end this season.
Additionally, Westbrook has already established chemistry with Clippers superstar Paul George. Considering that George had one of the best seasons of his career with Westbrook as his running mate in OKC, the Clippers could benefit from igniting that facet of chemistry again. However, it is still dependent on whether and when the Jazz follow through on buying out Westbrook’s contract.
John Wall, who is averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 assists per game, has shown flashes of his best, but his injury history remains a cause for concern.
