Washington Wizards star John Wall has suffered a shock Achilles injury and may not be back deep into late next season, leaving the franchise in a terrible situation, perhaps being forced into a rebuild.
They may end up losing Bradley Beal and Otto Porter due to their cumbersome contracts, but do the franchise really have to rip it up and start again?
A few years back Wall looked like one of the most exciting prospects in the NBA, so seeing this devastating injury at a crucial time in his career is a tough pill to swallow for Washington – especially with his gigantic contract. After his injury, Washington plummeted down to 8/1 in the Southeast Division latest basketball odds.
An Achilles injury has the potential to put the brakes on his career, and he may never return the same player – instead, a shadow of himself but on superstar wages.
“John Wall, Reggie Jackson” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Keith Allison
Beal’s contract ends in 2021, so in reality, there is only one campaign to try and convince him to stay with the Wizards. Maybe they can charm him into taking the max, but he would also have to accept the team being awful, which is hard for a competitive player like Beal.
While the franchise is not blessed with assets to trade, or the cap widdle-room to start off with a clean sheet, they do actually have a few elements that could drag this side up the standings in Wall’s absence.
Scott Brooks should look to play Troy Brown Jr more minutes. He’s 6ft 7in, with point guard skills and the ability to be effective from the wings, but Brooks seems reluctant to deploy him with real confidence. Instead, he’s favoured Kelly Oubre and Jeff Green over their first-round draft pick.
This season’s pick is forecast to land around number seven to eight, with some looking at the likes of Jaxson Hayes, a seven-foot rim runner currently on the Texas Longhorns or two-way-wing De’Andre Hunter who has the potential to be a great slasher.
“John Wall” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Keith Allison
Nailing that pick could radically change the franchise’s outlook considerably.
Porter’s performances without Wall haven’t been encouraging, with many expecting him to take games by the scruff of the neck and make his mark. However, that hasn’t happened and he will likely be on the trade block when the trade window opens back up.
A way they could get something in return is with Ian Mahinmi, a player whose contract is so bad it has been part of Washington’s crippling financial situation. However, the contract is expiring and in return, you could get a player on a longer deal which the other side wants to get out of faster – who that’ll be is yet to be seen.
The Wizards shouldn’t rush into anything too rash that could stifle their growth further in the wake of Wall’s injury. Nail a draft pick and offload players on large contracts, and the team may have a bright future a few years down the line.
