With the Washington Wizards off to a slow start and reportedly dealing with turmoil within the team, a potential trade of All-Star guard John Wall has been rumored. One ESPN analyst believes that the Miami Heat would be a strong candidate to acquire his services.
Jalen Rose offered his comments (beginning at the 2:15 mark) on his ESPN radio show that he hosts with David Jacoby:
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Rose responded to Jacoby’s question about whether any team would be willing to trade for Wall, given the massive amount of money that he’s still due:
“Yes is the answer to that question and I’m going to give you a team. I’m not going to just answer your question, I’m going to give you a team to watch: the Miami Heat. That’s the team I want you to watch, because when you’re a leader of a situation and it’s been reported that you cursed out the coach, that’s going to turn some teams away. So it immediately makes me look for the teams that have strong leadership and guess what he would not be doing in Miami.”
Jacoby referenced the unlikely scenario of either Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra or team president Pat Riley being on the receiving end of a Wall tirade. Rose then explained why the Heat would have interest in the 28-year-old guard:
“He’s a really talented player that they can now get the best out of in the Eastern Conference.”
For the 2018-19 season, Wall is making $19.17 million. However, beginning next season, he will earn just under $171 million over the span of a four-year contract extension that he agreed to sign in July 2017.
Wall was the top overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky. He’s played in each of the last five All-Star games and has averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game over the course of his nine-year career.
This season, Wall’s averaging 21.7 points, 8.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. The reported conflicts within the Wizards organization largely stem from the team’s slow start, which saw it drop nine of its first 11 contests. Over the past few weeks, the team has rebounded by winning six of its last nine games, a stretch that began with a Nov. 10 road win against the Heat.
Miami, which came up short in its bid to acquire forward Jimmy Butler, would no doubt love to make up for that miss by trading for Wall. Whether or not it’s able to make that happen remains to be seen.
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