The Wall-Westbrook trade: Was there a winner? Keith Allison/Creative Commons Last week’s trade between the Rockets and the Wizards involving Russell Westbrook and John Wall did not come as much of a surprise to NBA fans, as both stars wanted to leave their respective organizations. Although many saw this as a lateral move for both teams, there is reason for both teams to be optimistic as well as skeptical of the deal. Rockets: Reasons to be optimistic On the surface, the Wall-Westbrook trade may seem like a lateral move, as both are uber-athletic point guards who have, at best, average shooting. However, they are not identical players. For example, Wall is a better 3-point shooter and a less ball-dominant point guard. In his most recent All-Star season, he shot an impressive 43.8% on catch-and-shoot threes, while Westbrook shot only 29.1%. Though Wall’s overall 3-point percentages aren’t impressive, the Rockets will likely only ask him to make open threes, as James Harden, Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins should attract much of the defense. Assuming Harden comes back into the mix for Houston, Wall’s more reliable 3-point shooting (as compared to Westbrook’s), his impressive floor vision and Harden’s elite shot-making ability should be a potent mixture for Houston. Moreover, the Rockets’ recent acquisitions of Cousins and Wood should elevate Wall’s game. Every effective floor general needs weapons, and Wall has arguably never had a better supporting cast than this upcoming season’s Rockets. Furthermore, Cousins and Wall are known as best friends and were college teammates. Though this relationship may not seem like much, chemistry is one of the biggest determining factors of success in sports, and that rapport will likely help Houston.