The Washington Wizards have traded John Wall and a first round draft pick to the Houston Rockets for Superstar Guard Russel Westbrook. Rumors of this possible deal surfaced about a week ago and where there was smoke, there was fire. John Wall who hasn’t played since December 2018 due to injury was a fan favorite in D.C. despite the injuries and his max contract which many thought was among the worse contracts in the NBA.

Beyond the investment to Wall as the number one overall pick and a staple in the Washington community many fans were just eager to see the 30-year old point guard healthy for the first time in 2 seasons.  Now Wall will get to pair with Superstar guard James Harden in Houston along with his college teammate Demarcus “Boogie” Cousins. The Wizards now bring in Russel Westbrook, who averaged 27 Points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game last season with Houston to pair with franchise player Bradley Beal’s impressive 30 points per game.

So who won the trade?

From a basketball perspective I think the trade is a rare win-win situation. John Wall although not a great shooter is more of a distributor than Russel Westbrook by nature. It was clear the Harden/Westbrook pairing wasn’t going to work with how ball dominant both players are and with Westbrook’s massive super-max contract it made finding a trade partner nearly impossible.

That brings me back to John Wall’s contract which again many considered awful and it gives both teams a chance to revitalize their star back courts. The Wizards have lethal shooters like Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans who can space the floor and give Westbrook wider lanes to attack. Bradley Beal has shown to be an effective and willing off ball player in a way Harden has not. I think after the emotional scars wear off that D.C. basketball fans will full realize they just got a big upgrade at the point guard position.

• Grade for the Rockets: A
• Grade for the Wizards: A

This was the only deal that made sense not only from a financial standpoint but a basketball standpoint but that won’t make it hurt any less for Wizards fans who are losing a beloved fan favorite who has been the face of the franchise since Gilbert Arenas.

Christopher “C.J.”  Johnson is the youngest columnist on this website.  He started in this business interviewing celebrities when he was 10-years old with Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield.  C.J. brings the Millennial perspective to the website.  You can also follow Chris on Twitter and Instagram.

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