NBA Trade Rumors: Adrian Wojnarowski reveals James Harden "Had a preference of John Wall over Russell Westbrook" in mega swap deal
Just as the NBA offseason appeared to be winding down, there was a massive deal on Wednesday involving Houston Rockets point guard Russell Westbrook and his opposite number from the Washington Wizards, John Wall. NBA Trade Rumors had been circulating throughout the offseason that both guards may want to move.
In the latest NBA Trade Rumors, there has been an update on the deal done between the two franchises from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
NBA Trade Rumors: Houston Rockets confident acquiring John Wall will keep James Harden at the franchise
As part of the deal, John Wall moved to Houston for Russell Westbrook as well as the Wizards giving up their 2023 first round pick. There was considerable excitement among fans after the announcement that Russell Westbrook would be moving on so soon after arriving in Houston. Meanwhile, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski has stirred up a new batch of NBA Trade Rumors after his comments on ESPN's 'Get up' show:
When questioned on how this trade will impact the future of James Harden and if the former MVP would be happy to stay in Houston, Wojnarowski had this to say:
"He had a preference of John Wall over Russell Westbrook, although in the last couple of years Harden has moved teammates in and out. He brought Chris Paul in, moved him out. Same with Russell Westbrook now."
Both franchises were attempting to keep their star man happy this offseason in James Harden and Bradley Beal, as NBA Trade Rumors suggested that they too wanted to move away. If what Wojnarowski says is true, the Houston Rockets will hope that Harden is willing to stick around to see out his contract which still has two more years.
Moreover, the Rockets will certainly be looking for Wall to return to the caliber he showed before his injury which saw him miss last season. Wojnarowski also shed further light on John Wall's fitness:
"They're hoping that John Wall can get back to that All-Star form. 5-time All-Star, a former no.1 overall pick and if they can get John Wall back playing at a high level, they're hopeful that that will help to maybe make a case to James Harden."
Prior to struggling with multiple injuries, John Wall had his best season in 2017, averaging 23 points and 10 assists. Although he is two years younger than Russel Westbrook, he has never been as prolific.
It appears on paper that this deal could benefit all parties involved. After it was heavily hinted that Westbrook and Wall were both unhappy in their current situation, the switch made a lot of sense. For the Washington Wizards, they are receiving a former league MVP, serial scorer, and a player with vast playoff experience.
Now that the Houston Rockets have made the move, we may expect that James Harden will not be involved in NBA Trade Rumors again this offseason and that he will be staying after all.