Just when it looked like things were going well for the Washington Wizards, things changed. John Wall wants to be traded.
Mere moments after the Washington Wizards had finalized a deal that would take care of their number one priority, Davis Bertans, things went from really good to really bad really quickly.
Three days after Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Wizards and Houston Rockets had discussed a trade involving Russell Westbrook and John Wall, the news got even worse for fans counting down the days until we see Wall back in a Wizards uniform.
Charania broke the news once again. John Wall wants out of Washington.
As Rockets/Wizards talks on Russell Westbrook-for-John Wall stall, Wall has made it clear he wants trade out of Washington to happen, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
John Wall has demanded a trade from the Washington Wizards. Now what?
It’s unclear exactly why Wall wants out of Washington, but it’s entirely possible that Wall feels slighted by the trade rumors even though Tommy Sheppard tried to downplay it all as simply talking between teams and nothing more. However, Sheppard has recently been vocal about building around Bradley Beal but has failed to mention building around Wall. It makes sense. Wall is coming off of a major injury, is now 30-years-old, and is probably not the team’s best player anymore, given Beal’s emergence. However, Wall, who has been the face of the franchise for a decade now, may not see it that way.
Plus, recent reports that John Wall’s infamous viral video may have left a sour taste in the mouth of the Wizards’ front office was probably just salt in the wound for Wall. Wall has ridden with this franchise through thick and thin and has battled through numerous injuries, never once (publicly) demanding a trade despite dealing with some less than ideal roster construction. Now, after battling back from nearly two years away from basketball, it’s understandable that Wall would be angry and want out. It doesn’t mean it will happen, though.
One of the main reasons talks between the Rockets and Wizards stalled in the first place is because the Wizards were unwilling to attach assets to Wall. On the other hand, the Rockets were unwilling to risk taking on Wall without getting some assets, too. Wall has one of the hardest contracts in the NBA to move, and the fact that he hasn’t played in two years doesn’t make him any more attractive of a trade asset.
The Wizards have said throughout the offseason that they are unwilling to make moves that will jeopardize their future. That doesn’t sound like a team willing to sell low on Wall. If Wall does want to get traded, he’ll probably need to improve his trade value to the point where the Wizards are convinced they can get an adequate return. To do that, he’ll need to convince teams he can still compete despite being away from the court for nearly two years; he’ll need to play for the Wizards. It looks like the Houston Rockets aren’t the only team that needs to be “willing to get uncomfortable” heading into training camp.