Washington Wizards point guard John Wall is set to make over $38 million for the 2019-20 NBA season. He is also likely to miss half the year as he continues to rehab from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Swingman Jordan McRae, who signed a $1.6 million contract with the Wizards that is not fully guaranteed until Dec. 20, spoke to Ben Standig of The Athletic about how Washington will have to adapt without Wall in the lineup:
The Wizards might not have Wall, but they still have another superstar in Bradley Beal, who became the first player in franchise history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a single season.
Beal also led the NBA in minutes per game (36.9) and mileage, carrying a young and inexperienced Wizards team on his back for the majority of the season. The first part of this year is likely to entail much of the same, although McRae is one of those hungry players hoping to earn his keep in the NBA.
McRae has bounced around the league since being drafted in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He earned a contract after playing the final 27 games of the season with the Wizards, averaging 5.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in just over 12 minutes per night.
Though he is hardly a youngster anymore, McRae and the rest of the supporting cast will have to pull their weight with Wall still on the sidelines.
“We’re going to be a young team. We’re going to play fast. We have to do the small things more. We don’t have John this year. I think it’s going to fun. I think it’s going to be something fans will like, playing faster. One of those grit and grind teams.”