Clippers point guard John Wall said he was not at all happy with the Rockets’ decision to sit him out last season as they sought a trade, via Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“Pissed as hell,” Wall said, via Amick. “Pissed as hell. I wanted to play basketball.”
Reports indicated that the Rockets and Wall had reached a mutual decision for Wall not to play. He said that was actually not the case.
“I felt like I deserved to play, like I deserved to start, he said, via Amick. “(But) if you drafted a guy No. 1, or No. 2, and he’s a point guard, like I totally get it. I’m not mad about that. So that was kind of tough for me to be in that situation, because I want to play. And then the whole time, I was like, ‘Man, we’ve got to find a way to get out of here.’ I know it’s gonna be harder because I had two years left (on his contract worth a combined $91 million).”
He actually played a half a season with the Rockets the year before, and had gained a reputation for leadership, unselfishness and production. Eventually, he agreed to a contract buyout with the Rockets this past offseason, landing with forwards Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Clippers.
“I think if you stay true to yourself, and … just being authentic, that’s just how I was raised,” Wall said, via Amick. “My mom says, ‘Always be authentic, but just be known more as a better person (than a) basketball player.’ That takes you a long way in life, and that’s how I always try to examine myself.”
With Leonard also returning after a season away (due to knee surgery), the Clippers may take some time to adjust to each other. But most suspect they will be a bona fide Western Conference contender by the end, and Wall’s reemergence is a big reason why.
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