John Wall is attempting to find a home in free agency after being without a team for the latter half of last season. He had a decent half-season run with the Clippers before he was traded away midseason and failed to find a team.
Wall held a private workout on Sunday and had teams come to scout him. Kelly Iko reported that the Celtics and Blazers were among the teams present at the workout.
“Veteran point guard John Wall held a private workout on Sunday with multiple teams — including the Boston Celtics and Portland Trailblazers — in attendance. The five-time All-Star is ramping up efforts in hopes of a return to the NBA.”
Wall averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists last season with the Clippers and has had a tough time finding his rhythm in the NBA since his stint with the Wizards ended. He had to be the tank commander in Houston for half a season before getting benched for the next 15 months as the team continued tanking.
He hasn’t had many suitors since the Clippers and he parted ways in the winter, so the Celtics and Blazers could start the formation of a market for the veteran point guard.
Veterans Finding It Harder To Get Offers
Talent in the NBA has reached a level where teams don’t have veterans on their roster for the sake of having them. Carmelo Anthony retired after failing to find a team, Demarcus Cousins went to Puerto Rico, and Dwight Howard went to Taiwan. Even this season we still have the likes of Danny Green on the market.
Wall isn’t past his ability to be a productive NBA player, but there are doubts about how valuable he can be at his size and age. Injuries beat a lot of the athleticism and speed that made Wall sensational and his lack of shooting ability makes him a spacing liability. However, his playmaking can be crucial for a bench lineup, as Wall can dictate the tempo of a game with the ball in his hand.
The Celtics could definitely use Wall with their lack of elite guards. Wall as a veteran PG would be useful behind Derrick White and the injury-prone Malcolm Brogdon. The Blazers would use Wall as a pure veteran for Scoot Henderson, which could be a great fit for him at this stage in his career.
