Rockets, Lakers discussed a John Wall-Russell Westbrook swap

The Houston Rockets offered the Los Angeles Lakers a deal that would have swapped John Wall for Russell Westbrook, but the Lakers declined to include a first-round pick, sources told Chris Haynes as he relayed on TNT Thursday evening. The discussion ended because of the refusal to include the draft pick, sources said.
Source: Chris Haynes @ Yahoo! Sports

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Yaron Weitzman @YaronWeitzman
If there’s anything we’ve learned over the past few years it’s that anyone who thinks the KD-Westbrook-Harden trio team ever had a chance is gravely mistaken – 9:52 PM The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
Sources: Rockets end Russell Westbrook-John Wall talks over the Lakers’ refusal to include a 1st-round pick.
https://t.co/7rSa0JGmRo pic.twitter.com/R7v8BGhpUK – 9:14 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
A Russell Westbrook-John Wall trade proposal that was shot down. sports.yahoo.com/sources-rocket… – 9:07 PM David Hardisty @clutchfans
Now that John Wall was not traded, I don’t think it’s a slam dunk he’s getting bought out. Wall wants to play, but without significant savings on a buyout, the Rockets won’t want to lose the ability to trade an expiring salary. It’s dead cap next year if he’s bought out. – 8:00 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
James Harden has 0 margin for error in Philadelphia. He has not been able to make it work with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony & Dwight Howard.
The 76ers are Joel Embiid’s team. – 7:37 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
… So what happens to John Wall now? Offseason buyout? – 6:40 PM Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
The #Lakers inactivity at the trade deadline means the franchise is willing to risk wasting LeBron James’ greatness by blindly trusting Russell Westbrook.
#LakeShow #NBA
sportscasting.com/lakers-foolish… – 5:28 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
My expectation for Russell Westbrook remains the same. He’ll finish the season on the Laker roster. They will then offer their unprotected 2027 and 2029 first-round picks (possibly along with swaps in other years) with his expiring contract in the offseason for a better player(s) – 3:14 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I don’t think Russell Westbrook should be a starter for the Lakers now that he’s remained on the roster beyond the deadline.
Even if he was contributing to winning now (which he hasn’t lately), the priority should be developing THT, Reaves, Monk and hopefully Nunn for next year. – 3:09 PM The Ringer @ringernba
“So no Westbrook trade?” pic.twitter.com/LiiAIIFMuE – 3:04 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
It’s really wild that John Wall got to Houston and watched the Rockets trade Victor Oladipo, Washington trade Russell Westbrook and Brooklyn trade James Harden – 2:27 PM Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
it should be noted that James Harden reunited with both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant after that infamous 2012 trade, and both stints were short lived and ended badly. – 2:06 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Most career triple-doubles by a player with fewer than 82 games played for a franchise:
38 – Russell Westbrook (WAS)
21 – James Harden (BKN)
8 – Westbrook (HOU)
6 – Elfrid Payton (NOP)
6 – Rajon Rondo (SAC)
* Westbrook (LAL) not included, but may be before the end of the day 😅 – 2:06 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
At guard: Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving. At forward: Kevin Durant and let’s say Serge Ibaka. At center: Joel Embiid. Sixth man: Russell Westbrook.
You could make a pretty good team out of James Harden teammates. – 1:51 PM Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
James Harden has played with Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant. Now Joel Embiid. No one has ever had this many great teammates. – 1:48 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Superstars James Harden said goodbye to in the last 4 seasons:
Chris Paul
Russell Westbrook
Kevin Durant
Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/5TeKI0Il0O – 1:33 PM Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
National media – Wow!! Harden/Simmons trade !!…now back to the Lakers – Will they move Westbrook for an all-star? Which teams have pieces that can help Lebron, but want nothing useful in return? – 1:31 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
The Kevin Durant-James Harden-Kyrie Irving trio ultimately played fewer regular-season games together (16) than the LeBron James-Anthony Davis-Russell Westbrook trio (18 so far). – 1:28 PM Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Woj, just now on NBA Today, says it is “very unlikely” the Lakers trade Russ and LA is “not engaged on the Russell Westbrook front” – 1:07 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Thursday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! In which we ponder if the Lakers have hit rock bottom, and what the answer means for Frank Vogel, Russell Westbrook and the trade deadline. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wit… – 12:51 PM Bill Oram @billoram
Once more: The scene from Portland where Westbrook was distant, the trade deadline was near and everything else felt so wildly scattered. theathletic.com/3122124/2022/0… – 12:12 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Woj: “The Lakers right now don’t have any ongoing discussions on a Russell Westbrook trade.” – 12:11 PM Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
The postgame press conferences with Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley after the Rockets eliminated OKC in 2017 were all-timers youtube.com/watch?v=fWhYfV… – 10:57 AM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
The Lakers just lost a game to a Portland team led in minutes by CJ Elleby.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis both played.
Russell Westbrook did not.
Carry on. pic.twitter.com/lCgHfxyi5a – 6:01 AM Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Will Russell Westbrook be a Laker this time tomorrow? – 3:17 AM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
The Lakers lost their last game before the trade deadline. Though they were without Russell Westbrook, they were facing a Portland team leaning on Trenton Watford, Greg Brown III and Keljin Blevins.
Even LeBron James admitted the team is in a “fog”: ocregister.com/2022/02/09/lak… – 1:50 AM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Quick @LockedOnLakers video reaction to the Lakers’ 107-105 loss to the Blazers… a team that’s barely a team. Absolute incompetence on both ends, and terrible body language. Didn’t have Westbrook to kick around, either. @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods pic.twitter.com/L71DK2xieg – 1:22 AM Sean Highkin @highkin
Frank Vogel, asked directly by @Bill Oram if there’s a scenario in which Russell Westbrook isn’t on the team after tomorrow: “If there’s way to improve our team, we’ll improve our team. I’ve got nothing else to say about the trade deadline.” – 12:35 AM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Russell Westbrook can be a problem without being the only problem. – 12:34 AM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Westbrook right now… AK pic.twitter.com/xo0WSmgAtY – 12:23 AM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Trail Blazers 107, Lakers 105
This was the worst loss of the Lakers’ season. They’re now 26-30 — the furthest they’ve been under .500 this season. There was no Russell Westbrook to blame tonight.
Up next: at Golden State on Saturday. – 12:20 AM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Time to trade Frank Vogel for John Wall. – 12:18 AM Sopan Deb @SopanDeb
And this is why Russell Westbrook is the MVP. – 12:18 AM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Please, for the love all that is holy, have Westbrook do a postgame presser. AK – 12:18 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Lakers win percentage this season:
.473 with Russell Westbrook
.457 with Anthony Davis pic.twitter.com/LrVEfBC74M – 12:18 AM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Mitchell: 11 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists. We’re watching this game on press row like Russell Westbrook stans up here. – 11:35 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LeBron’s doing more playmaking with Westbrook out tonight, and has 8 assists midway through the 3rd Q. His season-high in dimes is 11.
LAL lead 67-63 after a 7-point Malik Monk scoring stretch (he was scoreless in the 1st half). – 11:29 PM Bill Oram @billoram
Russell Westbrook just joined the Lakers on the bench right after tip-off. If you’re looking for him on your television, he’s the one on the end of the bench in Beaver orange. – 10:13 PM Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Latest @BleacherReport Tracking Last-Minute Trade Deadline Rumors, Plus NBA Expert Predictions – last rumors (and as the headline says, predictions) ahead of the deadline including Westbrook, Simmons, Harden Grant, Randle,, etc bleacherreport.com/articles/29533… – 10:07 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Another new starting lineup, as Russell Westbrook missed his first game of the season. pic.twitter.com/LPsHeGVfr3 – 9:34 PM Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Lakers UPDATE:
Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard and LeBron James are available. Russell Westbrook is out for tonight’s game vs. Blazers. – 9:33 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Take this for what it’s worth: I have finally, after weeks of putting it off because I didn’t think it was realistic, pre-written a “Russell Westbrook is traded for John Wall” story. – 8:09 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Unless the Lakers truly think John Wall can make a serious difference this season (I’m skeptical), better to wait until the summer w/more potential options to move Russ. If he’s grown that detrimental, separate him from the team. But don’t sacrifice a pick for a band-aid fix. AK – 7:35 PM Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
“Russell Westbrook is an awful shooter and defender, trade him + 1st round pick for John Wall to save the Lakers.”
Westbrook’s 2022 shooting percentage: 50.3%
Wall’s 2021 shooting percentage: 50.3%
Westbrook’s 2022 defensive rating: 109.7
Wall’s 2021 defensive rating: 111.8 – 6:44 PM Alykhan Bijani @Rockets_Insider
#Rockets Injury/Status Report:
Eric Gordon (Questionable – Left Heel Soreness)
Daishen Nix (G League – Two Way)
Trevelin Queen (G League -Two Way)
Usman Garuba (Out – Left Wrist Fracture)
John Wall (Out) – 4:44 PM David Hardisty @clutchfans
If the Lakers don’t make the Russell Westbrook + first for John Wall trade now, then nothing would have ever pressured them to do it because things could not be much worse for Russ in LA right now. – 12:07 AM Kelly Iko @KellyIkoNBA
Rockets trade deadline mailbag: Who, if anyone, departs first? Chances of moving John Wall?
via @TheAthletic theathletic.com/3106288/2022/0… – 5:36 PM David Hardisty @clutchfans
My expectations for the deadline:
I expect Eric Gordon to be traded. I’d be disappointed in the Rockets if he’s not.
I want Christian Wood to be traded, but I don’t expect it.
Theis, Nwaba or Augustin for expirings/2nds would be a bonus.
John Wall would take a LeBron miracle. – 10:22 PM

More on this storyline

For starters, sources said that despite some pressure from members of the coaching staff, the Lakers never gained traction on talks about a Russell Westbrook trade, leaving top basketball executive Rob Pelinka with room to operate only around the margins of the trade market. -via The Athletic / February 10, 2022 As it turns out, fans are going to be a lot more disappointed given the recent report that the Lakers were working on a monster deal that would have sent Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker and a future first-round pick to the Houston Rockets for John Wall and Christian Wood. -via Lakers Daily / February 10, 2022 Jacob Rude: According to Windhorst, there potentially was a deal discussed with the Rockets involving Westbrook, THT and a 2027 first for John Wall and Christian Wood -via Twitter / February 10, 2022