In the fourth round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Nets, which ownEd Irving and Durant, were eventually eliminated by the Green Army 4-0. For the Celtics, they were the most underrated team in the East this season, performing poorly at the beginning of the season, but the Celtics played a championship team-level record in the middle and late part of the season. Playing against the seemingly powerful Nets in the playoffs, playing a 4-0 aggregate score, is really unexpected.
The Celtics, with young players as the core, are extremely strong, but it has to be said that the strength of the Green Army is also exchanged for many years of bad luck. After all, since the dissolution of the big three of Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen, the Celtics have had a long period of bad luck, and then they took down Brown and Tatum by collecting young players and draft picks, which has achieved its current glory.
The same is true of the Rockets, who were once super-strong teams on a par with the Warriors, but after Harden left, the Rockets also entered a long and gray rebuilding period, and this is still the case today. But the Rockets' future is still very bright, especially since Wall's contract is still a year away, when the Rockets can free up a lot of salary space. Even this summer Wall could be purged by the Rockets in the form of a trade or buyout.
Wall, who hasn't played in a year, will there really be a team that wants him? The answer is yes. In fact, before the trade deadline this season, the Pacers in the East are interested in Wall. According to NBA reporter Ben Dubos, until the Pacers acquired Halliburton through a trade with the Kings this season, they had been extremely interested in Wall — though it is not known whether that interest was generated through a trade or after the Rockets bought out Wall.
Wall's contract is as high as $44.3 million this season and his annual salary next season is as high as $47.4 million, and such a costless contract has also deterred most teams from Wall.
But before they get Harry Burton, the Pacers are interested in Wall, and they have three big contracts that are expiring — Spanish point guard Rubio for $17.8 million, TJ Warren for $12.9 million and Tristan Thompson for $8.9 million. If the Pacers are willing, then these 3 contracts will help the deal, at least with the salary is no problem.
Theoretically, if the Pacers wanted to close a deal with the Rockets about Wall at that time, those three expiring contracts would be the main deal — we don't know if the Rockets would be willing to accept such an offer. Unfortunately, in the end, the Pacers still chose to trade All-Star center Sabonis Jr. to the Kings, in exchange for the chips with Halburton and Buddy Hield as the main body, and then directly entered the reconstruction period.
Due to the arrival of young point guard Halliburton, the Pacers directly lost interest in Wall, after all, there is a future core point guard, Wall looks like he is no longer suitable for the Pacers. But I have to say that Wall is still very marketable in this league, but wohl did not leave the Rockets this season.
Although the plan was ultimately ruined by the addition of Halliburton, in this offseason, I believe that the Rockets can still clean up Wall by way of trade, after all, Wall's contract expires next summer, and the team that wants to clean up the salary space is still worth trying.