John Wall and Bradley Beal will no longer be the duo leading the Washington Wizards, but Wall has words of encouragement for Beal in the upcoming season. While Wall makes his way to the Houston Rockets, he had a parting message for Beal
Via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington:
“This is your franchise. Go be that franchise guy.”
Russell Westbrook is now on the Wizards thanks to the trade that set Wall to Houston. Even with Westbrook replacing Wall at point guard, there's no doubt that Washington's go-to leader is going to be Beal this season.
In 2019-20, Beal — with Wall out for the season — posted a career-best 30.5 points and 6.1 assists per game for the Wizards. Somehow, despite his impressive numbers, Beal didn't make the All-Star Game or an All-NBA team.
Ever since Beal came into the NBA in 2012, he and Wall were a fantastic duo in the NBA. Even though he'll be playing alongside James Harden this season, Wall admits that his heart will always reside in the nation's capital:
John Wall says it still "feels surreal" not being in Washington. The new Rockets guard said he "tried to say his goodbyes to everybody and show my respect." Wall said he "loves" DC and his "heart will always be there," but his "main focus" is becoming an All-Star with Houston.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) December 6, 2020
There are question marks, especially with the short time to get acquainted with his new team, on whether or not Westbrook can fit alongside Beal. However, Westbrook gets a chance to reunite with Wizards head coach Scott Brooks, who coached him with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Upon the surprising trade, Beal isn't concerned with the media's sentiment of Westbrook being a ball-dominant guard. On the other hand, Westbrook is excited to work with Beal, who he believes is an underrated star in the league.
Despite both of them playing on different teams now, it's evident that Wall is going to cheer Beal on from afar.
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