The Washington Wizards find themselves in a sort of jam financially. They maxed out both Bradley Beal and Otto Porter in the last two offseasons and have a large portion of their salary cap also devoted to two mid-tier centers in Ian Mahinmi and Marcin Gortat.
However, the most talked about topic as of late has been the super-max contract extension point guard John Wall is in line for. After missing out on another star addition this offseason, Wall is still non-committal about his future in Washington, though that came before the agreement with Porter.
Whether Porter’s deal changed Wall’s stance or not, there’s no doubt that the electrifying superstar is aware that they are still one piece away from being true contenders in the East. Wall has said before that he hopes to remain a Wizard long term as long as they give him a chance at winning and owner Ted Leonsis thinks they have the requisites to keep their franchise player in Washington. Following from Candace Buckner of The Washington Post:
Ted Leonsis' full quote on DPE: "My prediction is John Wall will sign his extension. He wants to be here & my goal is to have no drama."
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) July 19, 2017
Wall has had a stellar career so far in which he’s consistently improved but he took a major leap in 2016-17, nearly leading the Wizards to the Eastern Conference Finals. Leonsis knows better than anyone of Wall’s status as the Wizards’ backbone and is remaining optimistic that a deal will get done.
A big three of Wall, Beal, and Porter will only get better so the long-term allure Washington offers will likely factor into the decision Wall ultimately makes. He could bolt DC and join an immediate title contender but based off everything he has said regarding his extension, it’s clear his heart is in the nation’s capital, making an agreement on an extension likelier than not.
If Wall elects to remain a Wizard, the pressure will then be on the front office to somehow accommodate another star into the salary cap, something they could look into doing next offseason.
