Washington Wizards: Complete 2017 offseason grades

John Wall signs a $70 million extension

Things keep getting better and better for point guard John Wall. As the unsung leader of the Washington Wizards, Wall had a big year in 2016-17.

He averaged a career-high 23.1 points, 10.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game last season. As a result of his stellar production, Wall was selected as a member of the All-NBA Third Team, making him eligible for Designated Veteran Player Extension (a bigger payday).

Wall went on to sign a four-year, $70 million deal that will kick in to start the 2019-20 season. The final year of the deal comes with a player option for the 2022-23 season and a 15 percent trade kicker.

Locking down Wall long-term has always been in the Washington Wizards’ plans and they wasted no time in doing so. Now, Wall remains the only player from the 2010 draft class that is still with his original team.

It speaks volumes to the strides Wall has made in becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA. Had he not signed an extension, he would have become a free agent after the 2018-19 season. The Wizards are in good financial shape for now, but next year’s offseason could be even more critical to their improvement.