Woj - Westbrook for Wall and 1st Rounder

[ClutchDJ]

10 years later the cycle repeats. We trade Gilbert Arenas, now we trade John Wall

Very similar legacies. Both had star numbers but no real postseason success. Both suffered catastrophic injuries. Both were traded despite enormous contracts. Other teams equally swapped unwanted players under big contracts.

The Wizards soured on both players. Neither guy is viewed as a good leader. Neither Wall nor Arenas will be celebrated the way Beal will as Wizard greats; regardless of their talent perhaps being superior.

Character...

Will you still believe this when Beal isn’t on this team in a few years?

[Shoe]

Love this trade for you guys. Worst case, you get out of the contract a year earlier than Wall. By then, you'll know what the youth will offer you.

They both have 3 years left

[DCZards]

Congratulations I guess. Looks like Westbrook wanted to be back with Scotty Brooks.

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Gets to play again for a coach who will demand nothing out of him. Nice gig if you can get it.

Yup...and the same coach that took Westbrook, Durant and Co. to the NBA Finals.

[NatP4]

Love this trade for you guys. Worst case, you get out of the contract a year earlier than Wall. By then, you'll know what the youth will offer you.

Don’t they have identical contracts?

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Congratulations I guess. Looks like Westbrook wanted to be back with Scotty Brooks.

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Gets to play again for a coach who will demand nothing out of him. Nice gig if you can get it.

Yup...and the same coach that took Westbrook, Durant and Co. to the NBA Finals.

Yes, Westbrook, DURANT, HARDEN and IBAKA.

[trast66]

I have not liked much that Tommy has done, but this is a great deal. In his most important move to date he hit a home run.

[King4Day]

Love this trade for you guys. Worst case, you get out of the contract a year earlier than Wall. By then, you'll know what the youth will offer you.

They both have 3 years left

Oh snap. Thought Wall had an extra year.

I still like it for Washington. Westbrook is a sure thing to be more reliable as we don't know how Wall will be.
Plus, if it means keeping Beal happy, it's worth it.

[closg00]

At the moment I'd like to know from Tommy why this happened and why he just lied to us.

F'ing liar and VERY bad diplomat, very amateurish . What is the protection on the 2023 1st rounder?

[closg00]

Oh-well, gotta get the chemistry going with Westbrook and the guys.

[NatP4]

At the moment I'd like to know from Tommy why this happened and why he just lied to us.

F'ing liar and VERY bad diplomat, very amateurish . What is the protection on the 2023 1st rounder?

Lottery protected
Top 12
Top 10
Top 8
Two 2nds

[Litano]

Obviously COVID is a big question mark for Westbrook, but if the effects of his illness are minimal then I'd expect a slight bump in his effectiveness. This wouldn't be the first time that a star brought in to play with Harden improves a bit once he leaves that Rockets system. Harden doesn't make life easy for teammates by making active off-ball plays, sharing touches on the ball so other co-stars can get in rhythm, etc. That's not to say Westbrook will have a CP3 level resurgence, but I think I'm still higher on him than most even after his recent struggles.

With all that in mind, I don't doubt that Westbrook can still do amazing or at least very good things for the right basketball team. But I'm not sure DC is a natural home for him, because we're also not set up to leverage his talents all that well with Beal and company. Maybe we trade him to the Knicks?

The elephant in the room is Wall. I'm honestly devastated to see him go, but I'm (tentatively) choosing to trust the front office on this move. Either things were so bad in the locker room that they believed the relationship was unsalvageable, or they had reason to think Wall would come back severely diminished and decided that trading him before the season began was the best way to generate a decent return. I am upset that these guys talked a such big game about seeing Wall and Beal play together only to completely swerve from that direction at the last possible second, but I'm optimistic that Westbrook can also help the team one way or another.

[WallToWall]

Westbrook, if he has the same or slightly higher output this season than last, is a far better tradable contract and player than pass first Wall, before the trade deadline. I can see Westbrook being traded to a team making a push. Westbrook could be instant offense off the bench, best 6th man, for a team needing the firepower. It would be easier to flip Westbrook for a first round pick than it would be Wall.
*IF* a trade needed to be made, if it was demanded, this is as good as it gets...a top 8 protected first rounder + Wall's 2 years remaining for Westbrook for 1 year (or less). I like the trade, *IF* it had to happen.

Edit: I thought Wall has two years left on his contract and Westbrook has one year. Is that not the case?

[trast66]

At the moment I'd like to know from Tommy why this happened and why he just lied to us.

A GM is like a politician, if their lips are moving they are lying.

[Dat2U]

Feels like Ernie never left. Ted & Shepp said 'f*ck the 9th seed, we going all in on the 8th seed!'

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

10 years later the cycle repeats. We trade Gilbert Arenas, now we trade John Wall

Very similar legacies. Both had star numbers but no real postseason success. Both suffered catastrophic injuries. Both were traded despite enormous contracts. Other teams equally swapped unwanted players under big contracts.

The Wizards soured on both players. Neither guy is viewed as a good leader. Wall not Arenas will be celebrated the way Beal will as Wizard greats; regardless of their talent perhaps being superior.

Character...

I'd say Wall had much better success in the post season than Arenas in terms of his play and team's success. We made 3 second round appearances. Took a 56-win, first seed Pacers team to 6 games (two losses by 5 or less) in 2014, took a 60-win, first seed Hawk team to 6 games with Wall out for three of those games (three losses by less than 5 points, two by 3 or less) in 2015, and first seed Celtics to 7 in 2017. Not astounding success, team was right these for three of four years and way better than anything Arenas accomplished against the top teams in the conference.

[gambitx777]

I'm not sure he told a lie. He might have but things might have been chill then wall strolled in and said I'm out. And he moved him.

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[closg00]

At the moment I'd like to know from Tommy why this happened and why he just lied to us.

F'ing liar and VERY bad diplomat, very amateurish . What is the protection on the 2023 1st rounder?

Lottery protected
Top 12
Top 10
Top 8
Two 2nds

Decent protection, Ernie would have given-up the 1st straight-up, the structure of the pick was probably the hold-up

[NatP4]

Paying 34 year old Westbrook 47 million will be fun

[Wizardspride]

Screw it.

Been real guys.

I'm out.

[smoothSeph]

Feels like Ernie never left. Ted & Shepp said 'f*ck the 9th seed, we going all in on the 8th seed!'

Did you expect Harden to walk in not Westbrook? I dont get it. Wall demanded a trade AND is coming off a major injury.

At the very worst we can move Westbrook down the line. It was now or never in terms of trading Wall.