Since suffering an Achilles in February of 2019, John Wall hasn’t been seen on a basketball court. For years, he had been the Wizards’ shining star, giving them hope and optimism for the future. Before he went down, he inked a 4-r/$170M extension, making him one of the NBA’s highest-paid players.
But given his injury, and Bradley Beal’s performance as the top offensive option this past season, it seems the dynamic has changed a bit.
In an interview with ESPN’s Zach Lowe on the Lowe Post, Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard revealed he’s now building around Bradley Beal, a clear shift from their intentions years ago.
The report was apparently news to Wall, as he was reported as being “surprised” by Sheppard’s statement.
(via NBC NBC Sports Washington’s Chris Miller)
“Sources tell NBC Sports Washington that Wall was surprised recently to hear general manager Tommy Sheppard say the team is now building around Bradley Beal, but understood the thinking considering Beal has emerged as an All-NBA talent since Wall’s absence.”
John Wall was recently “surprised” to hear that Wizards GM said the team is now building around Bradley Beal, via @cmillsnbcs. pic.twitter.com/INuXW2LQBw
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 18, 2020
Beal became an NBA superstar during Wall’s hiatus, so it’s understandable that the Wizards have become his team.
The biggest question is how John Wall’s return will impact Beal and their performance. If he returns as even a fraction of his old self, it could result in Washington returning to the postseason.
At this time, however, there’s no real way of knowing what will happen. The Wizards are just hoping to make up some ground in their fight for relevancy in the East.
