John Wall

Trey Burke Discusses Upcoming Free Agency

December 4th, 2018 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Facing unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2018/19 season, Trey Burke would like to remain with the Knicks, but knows he might not have that option depending on which direction the club goes at point guard. Burke acknowledged as much during a conversation with Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

“I know how the business goes and if that is not an option, you’re always auditioning for other teams. But personally, on record, I want to be here in New York City,” Burke said. “You just never know, man. You never know in this league. Try not to put all your eggs in one basket because it is a business at the end of the day.”

Burke, who is currently sidelined with a knee sprain, has started five games for the Knicks this season, but has recently settled into a backup role behind Emmanuel Mudiay. Even coming off the bench, the former Michigan standout has been impressive, averaging 25.8 points per game in 28.1 MPG during one four-game stretch a couple weeks ago.

While he’s a few years older than fellow point guards Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina, Burke tells Bondy that he doesn’t feel like he has a ton of mileage on his body at age 26, pointing to a couple seasons where he “didn’t play much.” Burke, who says he’s making an effort to become a better defender this year, also acknowledges that he’s trying to “stay in the moment” rather than looking ahead to his free agency. However, he’s curious about what next summer will bring.

“Obviously, it is on my mind,” Burke said. “It’s an exciting time, but at the same time I’m just trying to first of all just get back on the court and second of all be the best version I can be to help this team win. I think when you win and when you are personally excelling in your role, I think that’s a plus. But I think when you win, teams look at that more than anything.”

Over at The New York Post, Marc Berman observes that Mudiay is making a case to receive consideration as part of the Knicks’ long-term plans at point guard, given his recent play. However, as both Bondy and Berman note, Mudiay would have a sizable cap hold ($12.88MM) as a restricted free agent at season’s end, which could complicate the Knicks’ offseason salary cap situation. Burke’s minimum-salary cap hold would be much easier to keep on the books during free agency if New York wants to go after Kevin Durant or other big-name targets.

Of course, the Knicks’ long-term decision at point guard won’t just come down to Mudiay vs. Burke. Ntilikina remains under team control for multiple seasons, and it’s possible the club will use its cap flexibility to fortify the position with an established veteran, via trade or free agency. Berman writes that some people around the NBA believe the Knicks are stocking up assets to make a play for Wizards guard John Wall, though Wall doesn’t seem like an ideal target for the franchise, given his unfavorable contract.

John Wall Drawing Very Little Trade Interest

November 30th, 2018 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards are said to be open to discussing deals involving any player on their roster, but league-wide trade interest in star point guard John Wall is “close to nonexistent,” sources tell ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider-only link). As Marks details, Wall’s super-max extension, which goes into effect next season and runs through 2022/23, has substantially diminished the 28-year-old’s value around the NBA.

“Every player in this league can be traded, but the Wall extension right now is the toughest contract I have seen a team try to move in 20 years,” one club executive told Marks. “I couldn’t look my owner in the eye and tell him there is value with the player even if we didn’t have to trade anything of significance.”

While most teams don’t have interest in acquiring Wall, clubs are still trying to figure out how his 15% trade bonus would work if he were moved this season, says Marks. Wall’s trade kicker should pay him a bonus worth 15% of the remaining salary on his contract if he’s dealt; that bonus money would typically be dispersed evenly across the remaining non-option years of the deal.

However, a trade bonus can’t increase a player’s cap hit beyond his maximum salary — Wall’s salary for 2018/19 is well below his current maximum, but he’ll start earning his max in 2019/20, which complicates how his trade bonus could be spread out across multiple years. It’s an unprecedented situation that the NBA and the players’ union didn’t anticipate.

According to Marks, if Wall were traded this season, his 15% trade kicker may just apply to his current-year salary, rather than taking his extension into account. So he’d get an extra $2MM+ this season without impacting his future cap charges.

Still, that discussion may be moot — any in-season trade involving Wall seems like a long shot, given all the future money owed to him. And even next summer, once the confusion surrounding his trade bonus clears up, the point guard likely won’t be any easier to move.

According to Marks, the consensus among team executives he spoke to was that there was no way they’d sign Wall to a four-year, $171MM contract this offseason, which is what his extension will amount to. As Marks explains, execs have – for the most part – learned their lesson about overpaying borderline stars into their 30s and will be more cautious going forward, limiting the appeal of a highly-paid player like Wall.

Wizards Notes: Porter, Wall, Morris, Rivers

November 26th, 2018 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

As the underachieving Wizards mull the possibility of making a trade or two to try to turn their season around, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News argues that the man entrusted with making those deals has worn out his welcome in D.C. The firing of GM Ernie Grunfeld is “past due” for the Wizards, according to Deveney, who suggests that the franchise has already kept Grunfeld for about a half-decade too long.

In addition to some questionable roster moves and contract decisions from Grunfeld, player development has also been an issue in Washington, Deveney opines. One rival front office executive suggested to Deveney that Bradley Beal has improved more because of the work he does on his own than his work with the team.

“Otto Porter does some nice things, good role player, but he has been the same player for the last three years, really. He could be better if he were somewhere else,” the executive said. “And [John] Wall, the game passed him by. He has had nine years to learn to shoot, and he still can’t shoot. I can’t go to my coach and tell him we are getting a starting point guard who can’t shoot. Not for $40MM a year.”

Here’s more on the Wizards from Deveney and others:

The Wizards have had a tough time finding value for their players on the trade market, according to Deveney. One executive told Deveney that – outside of Beal – Markieff Morris might be the club’s most interesting trade chip, since many contenders could use a tough, versatile big man. However, that exec was skeptical that any team would be willing to part with a first-round pick for Morris, who is on an expiring deal.
Speaking of Morris, his move to the bench has helped diversify the scoring ability of the Wizards’ second unit, says Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. It’s also an opportunity to get Morris a few more shot attempts, since he’s more of a focal point on offense for the second team than he would be when Wall and Beal are on the court.
Offseason acquisition Austin Rivers believes he’s getting the hang of playing alongside Wall and Beal, as Hughes details in a separate story for NBC Sports Washington. “I have to be more aggressive,” Rivers said. “They actually like that, too, because it makes it easier for them because I will attack and then they get easy shots instead of having to work for every shot.”

Heat Notes: 15th Man, Trade Options, Richardson

November 23rd, 2018 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

Even with Dwyane Wade back after his personal leave, the Heat find themselves a little short on backcourt playmakers, as Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, and Dion Waiters are all on the shelf due to various injuries. Miami has an open roster spot and could temporarily add a guard on a non-guaranteed contract to provide some depth, but has shown no interest in doing so for the time being.

While the luxury-tax penalties tied to any signing are surely a consideration for the Heat, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel suggests the team’s preference to stick with a 14-man roster for now is more about finding minutes for players who might otherwise be buried in Miami’s deep rotation.

As Winderman points out, adding a veteran point guard could have a domino effect on the rest of the lineup, potentially costing players like Wayne Ellington or even Bam Adebayo some playing time. It remains unclear when the Heat’s guards will return to action, but lengthy absences for Dragic and Johnson seem unlikely, so the club is in no rush to add reinforcements.

Here’s more on the Heat:

The 6-11 Heat have dropped nine of their last 12 games and the need for a roster shakeup in Miami has “never been more obvious,” writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Heat will likely contact the Wizards to check in on players like John Wall and Bradley Beal, according to Jackson, who hears that Miami holds Beal in particularly high regard. However, Jackson suggests it’s hard to imagine the Heat putting together an appealing enough package for Beal, and they’d probably only have interest in Wall if they could dump a couple of their own unwanted contracts.
In a pair of Ask Ira features this week, Winderman dug into the Heat’s decision to sit Kelly Olynyk on Tuesday and explored the likelihood of a trade involving Wayne Ellington.
Earlier this week, Josh Richardson was fined $25K by the NBA for throwing his shoe into the stands during a loss to the Lakers, according to a press release from the league.

Wizards Notes: Wall, Satoransky, Morris

November 21st, 2018 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards overcame a 24-point deficit against the Clippers on Tuesday night to avoid entering Thanksgiving on a low note. Despite the impressive comeback win though, Washington is still just 6-11, and the fact that the club fell into a 24-point hole to begin with is a reason for concern, as Bradley Beal said after the game, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com.

“That’s why everything is not fixed,” Beal said. “At the end of the day we can’t be naive and say we won after being down 20. We were getting our asses kicked. We have to take a step back and realize we still have a lot of things to fix. We won tonight, but we have to keep it going and know that if we get down to Toronto [on Friday night], the same result might not happen.”

It’s been an eventful week for the Wizards, who had a contentious practice last Thursday and will reportedly listen to trade inquires on just about anyone. We relayed several more Wizards updates on Tuesday, writing that the Hornets have inquired on Beal, John Wall wants to finish his career in D.C., and the Wizards are trying to move on from various distractions.

We’ve got more news out of Washington to pass along today, so let’s dive in…

Within Bontemps’ article (linked above), he notes that several executives told him on Tuesday that finding a trade partner for Wall would be “difficult at best.” One exec was more blunt: “If they can get anything for Wall and don’t do it, they are idiots.”
With Wall’s value being questioned, head coach Scott Brooks vehemently defended his star point guard after Tuesday’s game, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “John, he’s been taking hits. Let’s face it,” Brooks said. “You hear all the reports that he’s heavy. The guy has 7% body fat… He’s in great shape. I like the way he plays. He plays hard.”
Brooks intends to find more minutes for backup guard Tomas Satoransky, who played a key role in the Wizards’ comeback on Tuesday, according to Hughes. A restricted free agent at season’s end, Satoransky has been one of the club’s most effective bench players over the last couple seasons.
Responding to reports that detailed the heated comments made during last Thursday’s Wizards practice, Markieff Morris expressed his distaste for the leaks coming from within the organization, as Hughes writes in another article for NBC Sports Washington. “It’s f***ed up what’s going on,” Morris said. “The comments that’s coming from the locker room, that’s f***ed up.”
In a column for Sports Illustrated, Chris Mannix explores what the Wizards need to do to fix their issues, and whether longtime GM Ernie Grunfeld can be trusted to make those moves.

John Wall Wants To Remain With Wizards

November 20th, 2018 at 8:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wizards are not planning to trade John Wall, though as losses continue to add up, the team will have to consider taking a long-term approach to building a formidable roster. On Monday, it was reported that no one on Washington’s roster was untouchable in trade talks. Today, Wall spoke about the rumors, making it clear where he wanted to be.

“I love being here. I want to finish my career here, that’s all I can control,” Wall told reporters, including Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, prior to Tuesday’s tilt with the Clippers.

Wall signed a massive, four-year, $170MM extension with the Wizards during the summer of 2017. The deal, which includes a 15% trade kicker, will take effect at the end of this season.

Hughes notes that Wall has previously expressed his desire to bring Washington a championship and the point guard has often expressed his preference of spending his entire career with the franchise.

Neither the Wizards nor Wall are playing up to their potential this season. It was previously reported that Wall was playing through a deep thigh bruise and he alluded to injuries as a reason for his subpar play. “Everyone keeps saying I’m not in shape. I’m in shape. It’s just that I deal with injuries. I play through them and I don’t complain about it,” Wall said.

Wizards Rumors: Beal, Wall, Green, Oubre

November 20th, 2018 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Monday was an eventful day for Wizards-related headlines. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in the morning that the team was sending signals that it was willing to listen to inquiries on any of its players – including John Wall and Bradley Beal. Afternoon and evening reports, meanwhile, provided details on a contentious recent practice that included Wall cursing at head coach Scott Brooks, while Beal and Austin Rivers also had a verbal altercation.

In an article for The Washington Post, Candace Buckner shared more details on Thursday’s practice, which included an on-court confrontation between Wall and Jeff Green. Although sources who spoke to Buckner stressed that no arguments turned physical and that the altercations weren’t necessarily unusual for a struggling NBA team, the practice saw several players’ frustrations reach a boiling point.

“This is embarrassing,” a person familiar with the team told Buckner. “This is crazy.”

At one point during the practice, according to Buckner, Beal went on a tirade about the current culture within the Wizards’ organization, yelling something to the effect of “I’m sick of this sh**.” He also gestured toward GM Ernie Grunfeld and said, “It starts at the top,” per Buckner.

Despite Beal’s outburst, he hasn’t expressed any desire to be traded, people familiar with the situation tell Buckner. As for whether the Wizards would actually be willing to deal him, several sources who spoke to Buckner believe the team has no plans to move on from Wall or Beal. Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington hears that any thoughts the Wizards have about trading either of their star guards are “very preliminary.”

Here’s more out of D.C.:

Buckner also reports that Kelly Oubre cursed out Brooks during a recent game. Although the incident happened on the court, Brooks addressed it during the locker room after the game, per Buckner.
“They just need to blow the whole sh** up,” one person connected to the Wizards said to Buckner. “It’s all bad.”
A source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic that changes are coming for the Wizards, adding that “you will notice a difference” in Brooks’ rotations going forward.
Washington will also consider trades, especially involving players who are perceived not to be playing hard every night, sources tell Katz. However, the club is in no rush to make an unfavorable deal and no trade appears imminent.
Here’s what a source who works in another team’s front office said about Beal, per Katz: “He isn’t the best player who’s been available in the past few years, but he’s the best player with the best contract situation.” The two stars who were traded most recently – Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler – were in the final year of their respective contracts, whereas Beal won’t be a free agent until 2021.
In an Insider-only article at ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton ranks the Wizards in terms of trade value. Beal tops Pelton’s list, followed by Oubre, Otto Porter, and Tomas Satoransky. Wall places eighth.

Frustrated Wizards Get Heated In Recent Practice

November 19th, 2018 at 7:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

7:04pm: Beal and Austin Rivers were among the players who had a verbal altercation, Buckner tweets.

6:48pm: Wall was fined for cursing at Brooks during the heated practice, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Wall was upset when Brooks implored the team to turn up the intensity during the practice. Wall apologized to Brooks and the teammates the following day, Wojnarowski adds.

5:40pm: Things are getting very testy around the underperforming Wizards. They had a heated practice recently in which numerous players engaged in verbal spats, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. Exasperated shooting guard Bradley Beal told team officials after that practice “I’ve been dealing with this for seven years,” Charania continues (Twitter links).

Tensions tend to run high when things aren’t going well, so these types of exchanges aren’t unusual, Charania notes. Washington, considered the favorite to win the watered-down Southeast Division title, is slogging along with a 5-11 record amid speculation about potential blockbuster trades and coach Scott Brooks‘ job status.

The players are fed up, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington confirms in a tweet, and Brooks curiously said Monday the team just had one of its best practices this year. It was unclear whether Brooks was referring to today’s practice or the one involving the verbal exchanges.

Short fuses and frustration have been apparent since the first two weeks of the season. Beal and Wall called out teammates late last month for their lack of effort and focus.

Changes could be on the horizon. An ESPN report today claimed that the Wizards’ front office is giving rival executives the impression that they’re willing to break up the All-Star backcourt of Beal and John Wall, though the team’s brass would prefer to swap Otto Porter Jr. or Kelly Oubre.

However, the Washington Post’s Candace Buckner reports that the franchise doesn’t plan to move on from its franchise cornerstones and that there has been little traction in trade discussions involving Porter.

Beal doubts that he or Wall will be wearing a different uniform in the near future, as he told Buckner.

“I’ve heard those rumors weeks ago,” he said. “Then, I didn’t buy into them. Now, I’m still not going to buy into them because if that’s my main priority and focus, then I’m going to be messed up on the floor.”

No Untouchables In Trade Talks For Wizards?

November 19th, 2018 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards have begun to give rival teams the impression that they’re open to discussing any player on their roster in trade talks, including John Wall or Bradley Beal, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, the Wizards would prefer to reshape their roster around Wall and Beal, and have resisted including the two star guards in past trade discussions, including talks for Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler. However, it’s “rapidly becoming apparent” to the club that it will need to start considering inquiries on Wall and Beal, says Woj.

Washington had hoped that players like Otto Porter or Kelly Oubre could be the key piece(s) in a trade that returns a third impact player, but those guys have received “minimal” interest on the market, per Wojnarowski. Porter, who is earning $26MM+ in 2018/19, still has two years and nearly $56MM left on his deal after this season. Oubre, meanwhile, will hit restricted free agency in 2019, and will be in line for a raise.

The rest of the players on the Wizards’ roster also have limited trade value, so the team’s best hope of making meaningful changes would be via a deal that features Wall or Beal. Still, that won’t be so simple either — Wall’s four-year super-max extension, which goes into effect next season, won’t appeal to teams, and his 15% trade kicker would complicate any deal made this season. As for Beal, he’s three years younger than Wall and represents the best asset the Wizards have, so the club would certainly require a substantial haul in order to part with him.

The Wizards had entered the season once again hoping that the Wall/Beal duo – complemented by Porter, Oubre, Dwight Howard, Markieff Morris, and others – could lead the team to a top-four seed in the East, and perhaps a deep playoff run. However, after finishing eighth in the conference last season, Washington is off to an even worse start this year, with a 5-11 record.

As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington details, the Wizards are confused and frustrated by their on-court results this season, given the talent on the roster. However, Wall said that he still thinks the current group can figure things out, while Morris suggested that it’s “not time for a fire sale.”

Wizards Notes: Roster Opening, McRae, Wall, Porter

November 13th, 2018 at 8:45am CST by Luke Adams

After waiving Chasson Randle on Monday, the Wizards are now once again the only team in the NBA with two open roster spots. As we noted last night, the team will have to fill the 14th spot on its roster within the next two weeks, but Ben Standig of NBC Sports Washington says not to expect any sort of major move.

Instead, the Wizards could take their time to re-add a 14th player, saving a little money on their projected luxury tax bill every day they keep that roster spot open. When they do get around to signing someone, Randle could be an option to rejoin the team, since he figures to remain in the organization with the Capital City Go-Go, as Standig observes. Following Randle’s release, Scott Brooks said the young guard is “definitely an NBA player.”

Two-way player Jordan McRae has also been cited as a candidate to join the Wizards’ 15-man roster, but he’s dealing with a groin injury at the moment, a source tells Standig. McRae is expected to be available later this week.

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Jeremy Woo of SI.com lays out the case for why trading John Wall might be in the Wizards’ best long-term interests, pointing to teams like the Heat and Suns as potential trade partners. Woo is the second national reporter to make this argument this month, and his points are similar to ones ESPN’s Zach Lowe made last week — Bradley Beal is too valuable to move him, and Otto Porter wouldn’t bring back much in return.
Speaking of Porter, the Wizards’ highest-paid player was on the bench in the fourth quarter for a third straight game on Monday, as Ben Standig of NBC Sports Washington details. Porter has been shooting well from three-point range lately, but Scott Brooks wants to see a more well-rounded game from the forward, particularly on defense, says Standig. “It’s just the way it is,” Brooks said when asked about Porter on Monday. “Some games Otto is not going to have good games. Tonight isn’t one of them. He’ll bounce back. The guy is a winner. He knows how to play.”
If the Wizards don’t get back up to .500, they’d join an ignominious group of taxpaying teams with losing records, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report recently spoke to executives and agents to get their thoughts on how to fix the struggling Wizards.
In case you missed it on Monday, several teams around the NBA are reportedly keeping a close eye on the Wizards to see if they make role players like Markieff Morris, Kelly Oubre, or Jeff Green available via trade.

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