3 Reasons the Washington Wizards Should Draft a Point Guard
By Ethan Smith
Wall’s Out…For Awhile
Optimistic estimates have John Wall returning from his Achilles injury around the 2020 All-Star Game. But it is entirely possible that Wall could miss most, if not all, of the 2019-20 season. And when he returns—whether that’s next season or not—it’s no guarantee that Wall will be back to his old self any time soon. If ever.
Although Wall is still under 30, he has only played in 73 total games over the last two seasons. The total impact of his injuries on his game and explosiveness is still yet to be seen. It’s possible we’ve seen the best John Wall has to offer. Let’s hope not, though.
Wall himself seems fine with the idea of the Wizards drafting a point guard in the upcoming draft. He understands the team needs to do what it needs to do. But he’s not expecting any less of a role when he returns, new point guard or not.
John Wall on if the Wizards draft a PG (like Ja Morant): "I would be fine. I would have no problem with that because it is what it is. You have to do what is best for the team. You have to make sure that we have pieces. And when I come back, he can be a great back-up to me."
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) April 10, 2019
John Wall should without a doubt, be the Wizards starting point guard when he returns from injury. And him saying as much is totally fine. His resume affords him that no matter who they end up drafting or how well they play as a rookie.
But if there’s competition for the starting role when Wall returns, he’s already made things tense. Little brother-ing a future teammate before he even arrives seems like a weird move. Maybe Wall isn’t as fine with it as he’s letting on.
Of course, the Wizards could simply turn to Tomas Satoransky. He has been a more than serviceable fill-in for Wall over the last two seasons. There were whispers earlier in the season that the Wizards were hoping to sign Satoransky to an extension. But those whispers haven’t grown any louder, and with a new GM on the way, we have to assume old news is just that. Old news.