Washington Wizards: 5 trade destinations for John Wall
Could the Washinton Wizards trade with the OKC Thunder?
The OKC Thunder seem intent on acquiring every future first-round pick in existence as they build for a brighter tomorrow. In the meantime, they have a 34-year-old Al Horford who would presumably like to be on a team in the playoff picture.
The Wizards should look to kick the tires on a swap of Horford for Wall with some future first-round picks as a sweetener. The Thunder haven’t seen a first-round pick they don’t like and could try and rehabilitate John Wall’s value much as they did with Chris Paul this past season.
If Wall’s time in OKC doesn’t pan out, then the Thunder could use the stretch provision on him down the line or let him play out his contract as they stock the roster with the fruits of their first-round cultivation. The NBA has a salary floor and with the way the Thunder are headed they’ll need someone who is paid something resembling max money just to reach those meager spending levels.
Horford would be a welcome addition to a Wizards team that finished with the least effective defense in the league last year. No longer in his physical prime Horford is not the game-wrecking defender he once was but he has a wealth of experience and can still wall off the paint.
Horford is owed an average of $27 million each of the next three seasons which means acquiring him will give the Wizards future spending power. While this deal would be a godsend for the Wizards, there is a very obvious reason the Thunder likely won’t bite.
If Al Horford gets back to his previous form he’d be able to net the Thunder better assets than the Wizards would provide. The other reality is that moving Horford’s $27 million salary is a much easier task than moving Wall’s $40 million.
The Thunder want future assets and veterans who can be easily moved for talent that fits their timeline better. Betting on a John Wall resurgence would be incredibly risky and a move they don’t have to make. The only way this happens is if the Thunder know something about Wall that the Wizards don’t.