John Wall will have a new opportunity to show that he still has what it takes to play in the NBA this coming season. He signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month.
His role with the team is still unclear at this point, but he will reportedly be competing for a spot in the starting lineup.
“League sources have said Wall will compete for the starting point guard job with Reggie Jackson,” wrote Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “Wall welcomed the competition and said he is fine with whatever role he will be asked to fill.”
Wall has not played much in recent years for a variety of reasons. He played in just 41 games in the 2017-18 campaign and missed even more time the following season, appearing in 32 games.
He missed the entirety of the 2019-20 season before getting traded to the Houston Rockets ahead of the 2020-21 season. The five-time All-Star played 40 games during that season, showing that he could still compete at a high level by averaging 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game.
In the following season, the Rockets decided to give their younger players more playing time and mutually decided with Wall to sit him out. Wall and the Rockets agreed to a buyout agreement earlier this offseason, and the veteran then joined the Clippers.
When healthy, Wall has proven that he is one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He has career averages of 19.1 points and 9.1 assists per contest.
The Clippers look to be one of the top title contenders going into the 2022-23 season after the addition of Wall and expected return of superstar Kawhi Leonard from injury.
