Speaking to reporters today on a conference call, Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said the team has no plans to trade point guard John Wall (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN).
Sheppard, who said he was just watching Wall work out this morning, told the media that – with Wall and Bradley Beal set to play together for the first time since 2018 – it’s a new chapter for the Wizards’ two star guards, rather than a “sequel.”
“I can’t wait to see those two together,” he added (Twitter link via Youngmisuk).
A report last week indicated that Wall had made it clear he wants to be traded out of Washington. However, Sheppard, who said that he and Wall speak every other day, said the five-time All-Star has never asked him per a trade, per Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link).
“There’s no issue with John and I, with John and the Wizards,” Sheppard said (Twitter link via Youngmisuk).
Even if Wall does want to be dealt, he has little leverage to force the issue. With three years and $133MM left on his deal, the 30-year-old has one of the NBA’s least team-friendly contracts. He’s also spent nearly two full years rehabbing various injuries.
While Wall has apparently looked great in workouts, per Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link), teams would be extremely wary about taking on that contract without having seen him play since 2018. In other words, it wouldn’t make sense for the Wizards to make a deal when Wall’s stock is so low.
The team plans to manage Wall’s workload this season, reducing his minutes and likely sitting him during one half of back-to-back sets.
With Wall and Beal reunited in the backcourt and Davis Bertans back in the fold, the Wizards hope to make it back to the postseason in 2021. The team also drafted Deni Avdija last week and signed veterans Robin Lopez and Raul Neto in free agency. Those newcomers will join a roster that also features Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown, and Thomas Bryant.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
They should finish ahead of NY and Cleveland, so that’s something.
Harden Westbrook, you’ve been quiet the last two weeks
If Wall will be at least 80% himself this doesn’t look so bad for Wiz:
Backcourt: Wall & Beal
Frontcourt: Bertans, Hachimura & RoLo/Bryant
If it’s true that John Wall asked for a trade, that’s extremely disloyal. He has been getting max money from the Wizards after rupturing his achilles in a strange domestic incident…
Teams are not known for their loyalty to players why would you expect players to be held to that standard? I think wall would need to prove he can play at a high level in order to get any offers that would not destroy the wizards in unloading his contract anyway. The best thing for all involved is play and prove and the request a trade. No one is trading for Wall as is, as much as I like(d) him.
You don’t judge loyalty based on a lot of examples. You judge loyalty based on the interaction between one party and another. Just because different team was disloyal to a different player doesn’t give anyone the right to just reject loyalty altogether. That would be like you deciding to just disregard speed limits on the road because you once saw a car doing 95.
As long as Washington hasn’t done anything to Wall, then he is in the wrong to be disloyal to them. And vice versa.
First off, I am the car doing 95! You are welcome! 2nd if you think teams (the nostalgia in me wishes for the old days) and/or players have a reciprocal loyalty I don’t know what to tell ya. If trading him improves their team at the right price he will be gone tomorrow. In light of modern CBA there is not a loyalty provision or benefit for players or teams. This is why we celebrate guys like Dirk/Duncan because it is rare.
Don’t forget his partying
Aka “the trade market for John isn’t very good”.
Allow me to translate: Nobody wants to trade for Wall’s contract
He finally came back to his senses…
Apparently trying to negotiate with him is like talking to a Wall
Lol, I see what you did there
This Wall Beal story has been repeated so often, it should be included in grims fairy tales.
Except there is still no ending or lesson learned. Its just Neverending.
Unlike what’s happening in Houston, the people who run the Wizards actually want to see Wall and Beal play together again… at least until the trade deadline.
Whether that’s wise is another topic.
Dumbest rumors. Who cares what Wall thinks. He needs to prove he’s healthy. And that he still can play. That speed is not going to be the same. So his gm will be adjusted. He’s got a year to prove it.
According to reports, he is looking great in practices. I know that is not a game, but it’s something.
Plus he doesn’t have a year to prove it, he has 3 years to prove it. Nobody is buying him out at that price.
Sheppard will be out of a job by the end of the next season at the latest
(Fill-in-the-blank) GM: No Plans To Trade For John Wall