Washington Wizards’ point guard John Wall has been frequently mentioned in trade talks in recent weeks. There was chatter around the league that Wizards pitched a trade proposal to Houston Rockets that would see them swap Wall for All-Star Russell Westbrook while some reports even suggested that the 30-year-old player approached the organization and asked to be traded.
However, even if some of these rumors are true, Wizards are not ready to acknowledge them and insist that Wall has a future with the franchise.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Washington’s general manager Tommy Sheppard denied that the team wants to trade the five-time All-Star.
“There are no plans to trade John,” said Sheppard. “Obviously, it’s unfortunate this time of year — I think the bait and tackle shop’s wide open for business.”
Sheppard also added that Wall ”didn’t request” to be traded and that “there’s no issues with John and the Wizards.”
John Wall was Washington’s No. 1 pick in the 2010 Draft and was perceived as one of the league’s most exciting point guards early on. But Wall’s reputation has been on a downhill trajectory in recent years as he struggled to remain healthy. He hasn’t been on the court for almost two years, dealing with a heel injury and ruptured Achilles, while playing just 73 games since the 2016/17 season.
The injury history alone would make it hard for Washington to trade the player but the task becoming even daunting considering his huge contract. Wall has three years and $132 million left on his contract.
This is probably why Wizards decided to move further with Wall on board, hoping that he can bounce back and return to his All-Star form.
