“I would have been starting or I would have been playing big minutes” — John Wall on if he didn’t sign with the Los Angeles Clippers
John Wall
© Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sports
Before this season, John Wall started games off the bench in just a dozen of his 613 games and never played fewer than 32.2 minutes per contest in a season. But so far in the 2022-23 campaign, he has assumed a reserve role in all of his 21 appearances for the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 22.0 minutes per match. Still, the veteran point guard has performed well, helping the team to a 14-13 record despite the extended absences of its stars.
However, one can only wonder if Wall would be playing more if he had gone to another franchise in the past offseason. The 32-year-old thinks so.
Playing with PG
"If I would have signed with a couple of other teams, I would have been starting or I would have been playing big minutes," Wall told Washington Post. "It was just me realizing what I want in my career now. For me, the most important thing is to show people I can stay healthy, I can play, I can accept any role."
The five-time All-Star apparently understood that taking his talents to L.A. meant sacrificing a potentially more substantial role elsewhere.
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But he opted to sign with the Clips as he and draft classmate Paul George had already been talking about playing together some time ago. The past offseason provided them with the opportunity to finally follow through with their discussions. And Kawhi Leonard was seemingly on board the recruitment process.
So far, the former All-Stars have shown great chemistry on the court.
If the Clippers can overcome the injury bug, they can be a scary squad to face in the playoffs.
What if Wall went to another team?
The former No. 1 draft pick's statement begs the question of whether or not other franchises were interested in acquiring him after reaching a buyout with the Houston Rockets the past summer. Were there really other teams that could have offered him a starting point guard position and more than 30 minutes of action every game?
Maybe the Los Angeles Lakers could've made a serious run at recruiting him if they got rid of Russell Westbrook. The Miami Heat were also reportedly interested in the playmaker in the past.
As it stands, it seems like the Wall-Clippers partnership was meant to be. And he looks more than happy that it turned out that way. Only time will tell if it remains that way as the season progresses.
