How will the Houston Rockets starting 5 look like with the introduction of John Wall?
The Houston Rockets have traded a superstar point guard for the second-straight season. Russell Westbrook is headed to the Washington Wizards in a deal that involves John Wall and a first-round pick going Houston's way.
The Rockets might be poised to maintain James Harden in their roster now, as the former MVP reportedly preferred Wall over Westbrook. With this in mind, let us take a look at the Houston Rockets' projected starting five for the 2020-21 NBA season.
How will the Houston Rockets starting 5 look like with the introduction of John Wall
With John Wall's arrival, the Houston Rockets have two guards who need the basketball in their hands again. Westbrook and Harden managed to not step onto each other last season, but they have already played together.
Wall will also reunite with his former teammate at Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins.
For Wall, the dynamic might differ from his Washington years, as he was the primary ball-handler. There were doubts already about Wall's return and how he would play alongside Bradley Beal who had a career year last season.
However, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden "had a preference" for Wall instead of Westbrook. The 2017-18 NBA MVP might be willing to find the right chemistry with Wall and remain in the Houston Rockets' roster.
Wall has not played an NBA game since December 2018 and his form is a mystery. However, he is a five-time NBA All-Star who could be impactful if he is healthy enough.
Without further ado, let us look at the projected starting five for the Houston Rockets in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Point Guard - John Wall
There isn't any other place to put John Wall, though James Harden has been the Houston Rockets' true point guard in recent years.
Wall is a great point guard in terms of getting his own shot and creating for his teammates. He might need to tweak his game a lot to play with Harden, but point guards have not seen their numbers fall while playing with 'The Beard' (Chris Paul and Westbrook, for example).
Wall averages 19 points and nine assists per game in his NBA career and is an opportunistic defender. He averages 1.7 steals per game, which opens many fastbreak chances for him to show his unique speed. He could be a great tool for the Houston Rockets.
Shooting Guard - James Harden
In essence, James Harden has been the point guard of the Houston Rockets in recent years. Especially with Mike D'Antoni coaching, Harden was controlling the offense every time.
The former MVP has been linked with a possible trade to the Brooklyn Nets but the noise surrounding that trade has been disappearing recently. Now, with reports that he wanted to play with Wall, he might be staying with the Houston Rockets.
Harden averages 25.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in his NBA career. He has led the NBA in scoring in the past three seasons.