John Wall is coming off his best NBA season, so it’s no surprise the Washington Wizards want to keep the veteran point guard long-term by signing him to a contract extension.
Signing Wall to an extension is the Wizards’ “top priority” this summer, per J. Michael of CSN Mid Atlantic, citing league sources.
Wall’s selection to the All-NBA third team gives him the ability to make up to 35 percent of the salary cap by signing a designated veteran player extension, a new part of the latest collective bargaining agreement.
If Wall signs that extension this summer, he’d make more money per season than if he opted to leave as an unrestricted free agent and sign with a different team. His current contract runs through the 2018-19 campaign and has an annual average salary of just under $17 million per season, per Spotrac.
Wall helped lead the Wizards to within one victory of the Eastern Conference finals, a round the franchise hasn’t reached since 1979. He played poorly in Washington’s Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round, but he did have a phenomenal regular season.
Wall averaged a career-high 23.1 points and 10.7 assists per game for the Wizards. Washington would be smart to sign him long-term and continue building on the success it enjoyed this past season.
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
