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New York Knicks: Pros, Cons of trading for John Wall

By Allen Settle

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 23: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 105-89. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 23: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 105-89. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Feb 24, 2020; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) walks onto the court before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Cons: His Contract

There are two reasons why John Wall is on the trading block. The first of these concerns is his massive contract. He is currently in the second year of a four-year, $171 million dollar contract he signed in 2019. That equates to an average annual salary of over $42 million. It may be the worst contract in the league.

While his deal is not set to expire until the after the 2022-2023 season, the landscape of the modern NBA makes expiring contracts one of the more valuable assets in the league. This means that he would be much less of an anchor as early as 2022.

Adding Wall would immediately destroy the team’s ability to pursue major free agents over the next few seasons. While the team has struggled to actually land notable players though this method, it remains to be seen if a player like Wall is worth mortgaging the financial future.

Con: Injury History

In addition to the large contract, Wall also carries a concerning history of injuries. The former All-Star played just 41 games in 2017-2018 and 32 games in 2018-2019. The most recent and severe of these issues, a left Achilles tear in 2018, caused Wall to miss the entire 2019-2020.

This is a massive red flag for a player with the financial constraints that Wall carries. The former Kentucky star has not seen NBA competition in nearly two years.

If his level of play has fallen due to the injury, or a reoccurrence of the issue occur, it would be devastating for whichever team is committed to his contract.

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