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John Wall has a four-year, $168-million contract extension on the table with the Washington Wizards, according to several reports. You or I would see $168 million and probably start involuntarily twitching, sure, but not Wall. He isn’t taking that extension just yet.
Wall, who has two years left on his current contract with Washington, wants to see what the Wizards do to improve the roster before signing the “designated player” extension, also referred to as a “supermax.” Wall is eligible because he made the All-NBA third team last season, one of the deal’s qualifiers. While Wall won’t leave Washington before 2019, the proposed extension would keep him in D.C. until 2023. He’s allowed to take his time to think it over.
What can the Wizards do to improve their roster, though?
Washington was reportedly interested in the Paul George sweepstakes, potentially offering a sign-and-trade of Otto Porter Jr. for him. Of course, the Pacers shocked the league by trading George to Oklahoma City, so there goes that idea.
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Could the Wizards move something for Carmelo Anthony? A package made up of Ian Mahinmi, Jason Smith, Kelly Oubre and a first round pick would work salary-wise and give New York a couple assets, for example. If that’s what it takes to get Wall to commit for four more years, and getting Wall to commit is clearly the Wizards’ top priority, then Washington should consider something like that.
Still, if Anthony isn’t available or he would refuse a trade so close to his hometown of Baltimore since he has a no-trade clause, then it gets trickier. Washington won’t have any cap space after re-signing Porter, assuming they do. (They say they will, and he’s a restricted free agent.)
It’s so much money that bets are on Wall eventually taking this, assuming the team doesn’t let Porter walk for no good reason and can add a decent veteran or two. But for now, it seems like the two are in a firm holding pattern.