Report: John Wall to Sit Out As Rockets Search for Trade Partner

Rockets guard John Wall will not play for Houston in 2021–22 as he and the franchise work to find a trade partner, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. 

Wall will reportedly attend Rockets training camp in late September, but he will not join the team during the regular season. 

Wall, 31, played 40 games in 2020–21, his first year with the Rockets. He averaged 20.6 points per game, adding 6.9 assists on 40.4% shooting. Wall's counting stats are impressive enough, but the final stages of his career don't exactly mirror the timeline of a rebuilding Houston club.

"In a meeting between Wall and the Rockets recently, Houston officials explained to Wall the direction of the franchise and that the team wants to protect the veteran guard’s health," Charania wrote Tuesday. "The Rockets explained that the team does not want to jeopardize Wall’s fitness, and the sides agreed on the route that won’t complicate his ability to continue playing at a high level."

There are no plans to buy out Wall's contract, per Charania. He is owed $91.7 million over the next two seasons if he chooses to opt into a $47.4 million player option for the 2022–23 season.

Houston finished 2020–21 last in the Western Conference before landing the No. 2 pick in the draft lottery. The Rockets then selected G League Ignite guard Jalen Green with the second pick and added three more first-rounders before the night was over. Draft night was continuation of a rebuild that began in earnest when James Harden was sent to Brooklyn in January after requesting a trade before the 2020–21 season.