The Houston Rockets have received calls from a handful of teams about potentially trading for John Wall, sources told Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Wall has a $47 million player option for the 22-23 season.

The Los Angeles Clippers expressed genuine interest in Wall earlier in the season, but there is some confusion as to their objectives heading into the deadline period.

As for the Los Angeles Lakers interest of a Russell Westbrook trade for Wall, the Rockets would require a 2027 first round pick.

The Los Angeles Clippers will extend the period of rest for Paul George as he recovers from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

George has not played since scoring 17 points in a win at the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 22. 

George initially suffered the injury on Dec. 6 and returned after rehabbing for two weeks. George underwent an MRI and the Clippers revealed he had a torn UCL in his shooting elbow on Dec. 25.

The initial timetable George would need to see how the elbow healed was three to four weeks before being reevaluated.

The Los Angeles Clippers are operating under the possibility that Paul George may not return to game action this season, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

George sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow earlier this season.

The Clippers announced the injury on Christmas Day and gave a 3-4 week timetable for when he would be reevaluated.

The combination of injuries to their best two players could lead the Los Angeles Clippers to become sellers ahead of the deadline. Paul George sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Kawhi Leonard is rehabbing a torn ACL.

The front office of the Clippers approached Steve Ballmer this past offseason about treating this 21-22 season as more of "a gap year," league sources told Bleacher Report, and Ballmer gave his approval. This strategy has become called the "Warriors model" in which a contending team uses star injuries as an opportunity to reset. 

The Clippers, however, owe their unprotected pick in 2022 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"They're pretty much open for business for anyone except their main guys and Terance Mann. I think they really are fine falling out of the playoffs and regrouping for next year," said one Western Conference official. "I think they're trying to shed the Marcus Morrises of the world, guys that have some value and maybe can replace them with younger talent, maybe cheaper [contracts], to free them to get someone else this summer." 

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to sign Wenyen Gabriel to a second 10-day hardship contract.

Gabriel has appeared in five games for the Clippers this season. Gabriel was previously on a 10-day with the Brooklyn Nets.

NBA contracts become fully guaranteed on January 10. However, players must clear waivers prior to January 10, making January 7 the real date to watch. This season 19 players saw their deals become fully guaranteed, while six were waived in the days leading up to the January 7 deadline.

Players whose deals became fully guaranteed:

• Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot - Atlanta Hawks
• DeAndre Bembry - Brooklyn Nets
• Alfonzo McKinnie - Chicago Bulls
• Matt Thomas - Chicago Bulls
• Ed Davis - Cleveland Cavaliers
• Lamar Stevens - Cleveland Cavaliers
• Dean Wade - Cleveland Cavaliers
• Moses Brown - Dallas Mavericks
• Damion Lee - Golden State Warriors
• Gary Payton II - Golden State Warriors
• Oshae Brissett - Indiana Pacers
• Keifer Sykes - Indiana Pacers
• Isaiah Hartenstein - LA Clippers
• Avery Bradley - Los Angeles Lakers
• Austin Reaves - Los Angeles Lakers
• Wesley Matthews - Milwaukee Bucks
• Jaylen Nowell - Minnesota Timberwolves
• Paul Reed - Philadelphia 76ers
• Dennis Smith Jr. - Portland Trail Blazers

Players waived in recent days before their deals became fully guaranteed:

• Jabari Parker - Boston Celtics
• Denzel Valentine - New York Knicks
• Kelan Martin - Indiana Pacers
• DeMarcus Cousins - Milwaukee Bucks
• Gary Clark - New Orleans Pelicans
• Miye Oni - Oklahoma City Thunder

The return of Kawhi Leonard during the 21-22 season is a "strong possibility," according to Chris Haynes on TNT.

Leonard is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab of a torn ACL suffered during the 2021 playoffs, according to Haynes.

The Los Angeles Clippers have managed to remain in the playoff picture in the Western Conference despite the absence of Leonard this season.

Leonard re-signed with the Clippers during the past offseason on a four-year, $176.3 million deal. Reports have previously indicated that Leonard chose a longer term deal that would increase his odds of returning during the 21-22 season.