After Russell Westbrook's departure in the offseason, the backcourt strength chart of the Washington Wizards dwindled leaving Spencer Dinwiddie, Raul Neto, and Aaron Holiday the fill the void. Before the trade deadline, Washington traded Dinwiddie and Holiday as Neto and Ish Smith were the only facilitators manning the ship for the Wizards. With Bradley Beal still commandeering the ship and a massive deal in front of him for the super max extension, it would not be far-fetched for Tommy Sheppard to pair this Beal-John Wall incredible duo once again.
For Wizards fans, the tandem of Beal and Wall led them to three Eastern Conference Semi-Finals appearances before succumbing at the biggest stage. Despite the tough losses, these were tremendous learning experiences for the Washington organization, but two unfortunate and long term injuries derailed their future. Wall has not been the same since returning from his leg injuries, while Beal has elevated his production as the solo star of Washington.
For a franchise in dire need of a change, acquiring Wall in the offseason on an expiring deal would be something they must consider.
Wall-Beal tandem has the track record of success
Even without any championships on their resume, these two were one of the elite backcourts in the association. The scoring and firepower possessed by the chemistry of Wall and Beal lifted the spirits and emotions of the Wizards franchise as they experienced a plethora of playoff games with this specific roster iteration. Wall has not played a single second for the Houston Rockets this year, but his proven talent could still flourish in a Wizards uniform as the second fiddle to Beal.
Wall used to be the alpha of the squad, but that role could now be possessed by Beal with his phenomenal scoring prowess and continually being the primary communicator with the young guys for the past few years. With Wall's contract over $40 million, the pressure will be less in a small-market city like Washington as the second or third fiddle that will be tasked to contribute over 15 points and eight dish-offs per night. Wall is capable of exceeding those adequate expectations as his second stint progresses, but there will be a ton of smiling faces in Washington including Wall and Beal.
Wall will be the key to unlock the youngsters
In connection to the struggles of the Wizards, they had the silver lining of selecting talented players from the past draft classes who have not reached their full potential yet. Rui Hachimura has been stuck in finding a stable position as a three or a four, while Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert are skillful wings whose style fit tremendously to the current generation of basketball.
Kispert had a few stretches where he would be scorching hot from long distance, whle Avdija has been utilized in various roles even as a point forward for coach Wes Unseld Jr. The size, versatility, and athleticism of these three individuals is unique, thus having Wall as the captain of the ship may unleash their ability to contribute through his impeccable vision. The speed and acceleration of Wall may not be the same anymore, but he is still a dangerous threat on the floor and defenses would react to his constant drives at the rim.
The essential leader the Wizards need
Even with Beal leading this team for the past seasons, it is still not enough for Washington to cement themselves as a consistent threat in the East. The other terrific players are usually known to perform at a high level, but they still need to enhance their leadership characteristics in galvanizing and inspiring their teammates as well.
In Wall's previous tenure, any NBA fan could see his eagerness and desire to motivate and mentor his teammates every game. The statistics are already given for Wall, but his maturity at such a young age to see the game from a veteran's perspective is what catapulted the Wizards to consistent playoff appearances. The Westbrook experiment did not materialize long term, while Dinwiddie had his own issues in the backcourt pairing with Beal.
The whole Wall addition will be the best destination for him to revitalize his professional career as well. It is not just going to benefit the Wizards franchise, but also Wall. This partnership may just meant to be for both parties involved as Wall would be one piece Washington must inquire about in the offseason.
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