John Wall to Houston.

Russell Westbrook toe.

Washington Wizards also sent the Rockets a lottery protected 2023 1st round pick, Both teams hoping this deal will help convince Beale and hardened to remain on their respective teams, eh?

NBA analytics expert Kirk Goldsberry has more.

What a blockbuster trade.

Just three weeks before opening night for the Wizards land.

Russell Westbrook, who ranked third in the entire league last season by scoring 15 points per game in the paint on Lee, Yannis and Zion, had more booth.

Bad news is that Westbrook is unquestionably one of the least efficient volume shooters in recent NBA history.

Out of 50?

NBA players that have launched these 2500 jump shots over the past five years.

Westbrook ranks dead last in efficiency in that big group.

What can his former coach, Scott Brooks change?

These habits?

That's a big question, and Houston has its own giant question.

Just what in the world are they getting in?

John Wall, the five time All Star who hasn't played a game in almost two years?

If wall returns to form the Rockets are bound to have one of the most dangerous backcourts in the lead.

The last time Wall played a full season in 2016 17, he ranked second in the league in assists, trailing Onley James Harden.

If he could get back to that level of play, pull up right wing three.

Just who he and Harden will torture.

Opposing defense is and help the Rockets score at will.

We're continuing with this superstars swap in the n B A.

It's one thing to make the money work.

In a deal like this, it's another to make the basketball work.

Let's start with the fit for Russ Westbrook in D.

C.

We know it lives.

The ball in his hands have to figure out how to do that.

With Bradley Beal on the team and both players rank in the top 10 in scoring average and in the top six in usage percentage last season, however, Russ is one of the best creators in the N B.

A.

Is gonna have looked at.

Keep that going with Washington.

Over the last five seasons, he has averaged nearly 20 potential assists per game.

That is the most in the NBA.

Who's second on the list?

What's John Wall?

Hey, hadn't played in N B A game since day after Christmas 2018, like Westbrook did a year ago, Wall is gonna have to work with.

James.

Harden was also used to having the ball in his hands.

Since 2015.

Both Wall and Harden each rank in the top five in touches per game in an average touch length.

Now is the first time you could potentially see these guys in their new uniforms.

December 11th Rockets Now with Harden and wall, they take on the Bulls.

And then December 13th, it's Westbrook and Bradley Beal.

They'll try to put the Wizards over the Nets, led by K D and Kyrie.

Wendy.

It was clear the Westbrook experiment in Houston didn't go with plan.

But why did both teams make this deal now?

Yeah, I know that this is a trade of All Star Point guards making $40 million a year, and you you tend to focus on those players.

But this trade is really about the other stars on these team.

This is about Bradley Beal and about James Harden.

Uh, this is the Wizards trying to move on from a relationship that had gotten a little bit rocky.

And look, The Wizards want to try to make the playoffs this year because they do not want Bradley Beal asking out, and they feel that this trade will improve them because John Wall's been out with injuries so much.

And in Houston.

While I do not believe that this is going to save the hard relationship with Westbrook, Harden marriage had failed.

And this is an attempt to try to keep things together as they try to start the season with James Harden on the roster.

So, um, very much about holding on to the other stars as the guy's a zoo.

Much of the guys who got traded now you mentioned Wall and the injuries.

He hasn't played the last two years as he's rehabbed his Achilles.

What do you think is a potential that has come back actually makes the Rockets better than when they had Westbrook?

Yes, so the Rockets wager here.

I mean, they're getting a first round pick in this deal, but the wager here is that he will be able to recover from this injury and age 30 with his three years and over 150 million left on his contract that he will actually sort of age better than Westbrook.

Now there have been workouts in recent months, UH, with wall in Los Angeles and Miami.

His peers have seen him and reported back to the Rockets that he looks very good.

Tony, this is a terrible injury, overcome without question.

But the Rockets air, hoping that they can stitch something together and create some momentum with James Harden.

And they hope that a surprising John Wall will be better in the short run.

And in the year two and three of this contract, we'll have to wait and see now.

14 combined All Star appearances making moves in this blockbuster deal.

Brian Wynne.

Horses always appreciate the insight.

Take a look at what Vegas thinks about the trade.

Caesar sports book by William Hill believes that the trade will help the Rockets their title chances shortened from 40 to 12 30 to 1.

Washington, meanwhile, remains a long shot there at 1 50 to 1 to win the title this season.

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