Getty John Wall #1 of the Houston Rockets sits on the bench during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center on October 22, 2021 in Houston, Texas.
John Wall remains continually linked to the Miami Heat as a potential buyout market option. The Houston Rockets are playing their younger talent over him as they entertain sign-and-trade offers for the five-time All-Star guard. Wall is a hot commodity right now.
Interestingly, the former first-round pick — No. 1 overall in 2010 — was spotted working out at Athletics Sports & Performance facility in Miami. The choice of venue had Heat fans talking on social media as Wall put his full offensive arsenal on display in the viral video. The 31-year-old drives to the hole for a one-handed dunk; steps back for a dagger three-pointer; and tracks down a defensive block from behind. Wall certainly looks like he can provide a dangerous scoring touch off the bench for a playoff team.
John Wall 👀🔥
(🎥 @swishcultures_)
The Heat and Clippers might have “significant interest” in Wall, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein. ESPN’s Marc J. Spears confirmed that Wall was indeed working out in Miami, adding that the reality of him landing somewhere was a “pie in the sky” scenario.
Day 2 of being wit @johnwall in the lab & that jumper is 🔥. I’m talking consistently running off 10 straight never more than 2 misses in a row at 5 spots getting up more than 400+ shots. He really working !
Wall hasn’t played in a single game this season as Houston decides what to do. He has two years and $91.7 million left on his contract, with the final year being a player option. He averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 32.2 minutes per game during the 2020-21 campaign.
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Rockets GM Disucces Wall Situation
Rockets general manager Rafael Stone briefly addressed Wall’s situation during a recent interview with The Athletic. He called the veteran guard “really smart” and relayed their conversations have been productive and “intelligent.”
“John’s a pro. He gets every aspect of everything,” Stone told Kelly Iko. “I don’t need to explain it to him; he knows. You know John; John knows. But we speak about everything. Nothing’s off-limits. So yeah, lines of communication between myself and John remain really good.”
John Wall working out pregame. Stephen Silas says the team has not progressed on establishing a timeline for his return. It’s been 12 days since Wall’s initial meeting with Rafael Stone about returning to action
Personality-wise, Wall would seem to be an ideal fit in Miami. He’s a hard worker at both ends of the floor built in the image of Miami Heat Culture. He’s also an all-around good guy, according to Stone.
“I really like John,” Stone said. “We’re gonna be friends long after basketball.”
Heat Players Address Kyle Lowry Absence
The Heat have gone 5-1 in the six games Kyle Lowry has been away from the team due to personal reasons. No one knows for sure what is going on with star point guard, but Jimmy Butler hinted at it being a family matter. Basketball hasn’t been at the top of Lowry’s mind.
“I think it’s always really important to realize basketball is second, third. It’s not around that area on people’s list of importance,” Butler told reporters, via Ira Winderman. “You’ve always got to make sure the family is good, yourself good.”
Not for nothing, the Heat are 8-2 overall this season in games without Lowry. Yes, they are a much stronger team with him out there on the floor but it’s reassuring to know they can survive on fumes.
“This looks like a team every one in the league has their eyes on and should watch out for…the Heat have shown – with Jimmy [Butler], without Jimmy, with Bam [Adebayo], without Bam, with Kyle [Lowry], without Kyle – they’re for real.”
– D-Wade 🔥
(Via the Miami Herald)
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