A pair of veteran free agent guards, Austin Rivers and John Wall, worked out for NBA evaluators on Wednesday, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter links). Between 10 and 15 teams were in attendance to watch the session, Haynes adds.
Rivers and Wall have appeared in more than 1,350 regular season games between them, but neither player has been on an NBA roster this season. They’re looking to get back into the league and opted to hold a private workout in Orlando, where teams and executives have gathered this week for the annual G League Showcase.
Rivers, 31, spent last season with the Timberwolves, averaging 4.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 19.5 minutes per night across 52 contests (10 starts) for the club. His shooting line was .435/.350/.769.
Wall opened last season with the Clippers after sitting out the entire 2021/22 campaign while under contract with Houston. The 33-year-old appeared in 34 games (22.2 MPG) for the Clippers, averaging 11.4 PPG and 5.2 APG, before he was sent back to the Rockets in a trade deadline deal. Houston subsequently waived him and he has been a free agent since then.
NBA teams will be permitted to sign players to standard (ie. non-hardship) 10-day contracts beginning on January 5, so it’s possible more opportunities will open up for veteran free agents like Rivers and Wall at that time.
What happened to JW in LA? Something must have happned really bad behind the scene for the Clippers to give up on him in the first yr of 2 yr contract. Besides, he still wasnt playing any defense with his bloated ego. His career is over in nba. It was weird that Clippers also traded away Reggie ….
Reggie was constantly getting injured and playing poorly his last couple seasons in LA. After 20-21, he was inconsistent.
Wall’s surface numbers in LA belied just how awful the offense as a whole was with him on the floor. A non-shooting PG with next to no athleticism or defense, who also tends to hog the ball? It was like the Lakers version of Russ except worse. Westbrook at least still had enough athleticism to not suck on both ends.
It was still odd because didnt Clippers already know JW to gve him 2 yr contract?
Bottom line is JW blew his opportunity and no one will trust him again.
It’s not like he’s anywhere near the first guy to fall off after a contract. If he was his Rockets self, underwhelming as that was, he’d still be in the league. His legs are just gone.
John Walls publicist trying Hard to get him replugged into Association
Go to Italy JW!
The fact that Wall is still trying to get back in the league after making 250 million in his career makes me think the talk about his spending and gambling losses while in DC was more truth than rumor.
Or perhaps it’s something as simple as that he likes to play basketball.
Then go overseas like Kemba???
Or Lifetime Fitness?
Maybe doc can get austin a sideline reporter gig. It wouldn’t be much of an adaptation, as he’s used to standing in the corner. Yet, it would require adjusting his privileged, bad body language.
I wish John Wall all the best tho. DC built him up for the world to tear him down.
There’s a problem in the NBA salaries, in which players who aren’t made of ‘championship material’ are making more money than they need / can handle. Organizations can still be profitable without making up superstars by sacrificing team-play, I just don’t get why every franchise but the Spurs uses the exact same business model.
They both are g league bound. As long as they are playing is all that matters right???
Man, Austin played more games in the NBA than Wall.
Edit:
I think Wall should consider playing in Europe. He’s still a big name and can make some bucks over here. Fans would love him.
Wall to DC is ok
They are tanking anyways
I was gonna say send him to Detriot and let him stop the streak!
I think its karma and irony having a baby with John Walls career. Didn’t want to play for Houston when he got traded to them. Then they trade for him and don’t let him in the building. Seems like an expensive diss but probably worth it.