The Wizards want to extend John Wall — he’s the guy they want to build around, the face of the franchise, he’s good in the locker room and good on the court (when he’s healthy and on the court). In his last 20 games last season he averaged averaged 23.9 points per game on 48.3 percent shooting and 41.7 percent from three (his jump shot was working), plus he has 7.8 assists per game.
The question is the price.
The two sides have opened negotiations to figure that out, reports J. Michael at CSNWashington.com.The Wizards have begun talking with John Wall’s agent, Dan Fegan, regarding an extension before the regular season, CSN Washington has learned.
Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld wouldn’t comment on whether or not he expected an agreement to be consummated quickly, but if how quickly he moved in free agency is any indication he’d like to get it done sooner rather than later. Grunfeld locked up Eric Maynor, Martell Webster and Garrett Temple in the first three days of the free agency.
In an ideal world they would get Wall on a Stephen Curry-like deal, which was four years, $44 million. The Wizards could give Wall the fifth year and throw in a player option after three or four years.
But they may go higher than that. Michael says the Wizards are all in for Wall and may be willing to overpay to keep the guy they want to be their star happy. A max deal under the new CBA would start at $13.7 million this season, we don’t know the number for next year yet but it likely will be higher so we’re talking a deal starting at $14 million a year or more.
Is Wall worth that?