Washington Wizards: It’s time to blow everything up

If it wasn’t clear before, John Wall’s devastating Achilles injury should serve as a clear sign to the Washington Wizards it’s time to make drastic changes.

It really just doesn’t get any easier being a Washington Wizards fan. Seemingly out of nowhere, The Athletic’sˆShams Charania reported that point guard John Wall ruptured his left Achilles tendon after a slip and fall in his own home and will be out for the next 12 months following surgery.

A lot can be said about Wall both on and off the court, but there’s no getting around how sucky of a situation he’s fallen into, especially considering how it happened.

This, coming after the five-time All-Star went under the knife to repair a damaged heel in early January, ending his season prematurely. Wall’s latest setback leaves his future abilities in question and could drastically change Wahington’s game plan in the days leading up to the Feb. 7 trade deadline.

For a guy heavily reliant on his speed and athleticism, there really is no telling the type of player Wall will be when he eventually returns in roughly a years time. An Achilles tear is the worst injury in sports, and on a guy whose lower body has already been operated on multiple teams, the betting man suggests it will be a lesser version.

If he wasn’t untradable before these injuries, he certainly is now. Thanks to a contract extension that has him signed through the 2022-2023 season, Wall isn’t leaving the nations capitol any time soon, and it’d be best if Washington just embraces it.

Both Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. can start a bidding war on the trading market, especially for those desperate to increase their postseason or title chances with such little time to work with. At just 25 years of age, Beal is already a two-time All-Star and Porter has developed into a swiss army knife at both ends.

In return, the Wizards must do what the Milwaukee Bucks have done for Giannis Antetokounmpo: Put the ball in their point guard’s hands and surround him with shooters. It won’t work nearly as well, but it’s the only to remain competitive.

The deals should hopefully allow Washington to acquire young talent in the process of shedding chunks of long-term salary. With Wall still around, it won’t be able to fully commit to a tank job, but it’s as good as can be under the circumstances.

The Wizards have been seemingly unwilling to blow up their core for quite some time now, believing that with a few tweaks they too could become a threat in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The trio of Wall, Beal and Porter have proven to be immensely talented, not enough, though, to get past the second-round in any postseason run. But after committing over $400 million to those three alone, the front office wasn’t left with much room to make any noticeable improvements.

The latter two have been the subject of trade rumors over the last few months, although nothing has come close to materializing due to Washington’s frightening inability to stray from the status quo.

The trade deadline is this Thursday. The Wizards, only getting further away from the ultimate goal, can either stand pat and continue to spin on the wheel of mediocrity. Or, the front office can understand when to call it quits and pull the trigger on what so many are hesitant to do.

What they ultimately wind up choosing to do will have the ability to shape both the immediate and long-term future of basketball in DC.