Wizards guard John Wall believes Kyrie Irving has raised some reasonable concerns as NBA players weigh the league’s restart plan this summer. Appearing on The Tuff Juice Podcast with Caron Butler, Wall suggested that he’d have reservations about playing in Orlando even if he were healthy enough to do so.
“For me, if I was playing, I wouldn’t want to go to it, to be honest,” Wall said, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I just don’t feel like it’s safe. I just don’t feel like it is. I understand why they want to do it and what they’re trying to get to, but I wouldn’t want to.”
The Wizards are currently 5.5 games back of a playoff spot and would only force a play-in tournament if they can pull to within four games of either the Magic or the Nets. Even then, Washington would have to win two consecutive games in a play-in tournament in order to claim the No. 8 seed, which Wall seemed to acknowledge will be an uphill battle.
“If I was healthy enough to play, I wouldn’t want to go play,” he said, according to Hughes. “What am I going, just to play eight games? I’m not going for just eight games and then coming back home.”
While it may be somewhat cynical to point out, it’s worth noting that players like Irving and Wall might be more comfortable taking a stand on the issue when injuries will rule them out anyway. If they were fully healthy, it’s possible they’d feel extra pressure not to let down teammates by sitting out.
Here’s more from Wall:
- In an Instagram Live interview with Marc Spears of The Undefeated on Wednesday, Wall said he’s still encouraging the Wizards to sign his good friend and former Kentucky teammate DeMarcus Cousins. “Oh man, you know I’m trying to push for that,” Wall said (hat tip to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). “I’ve been on that for like five years. I want to sign him right now.”
- Wall said that he and GM Tommy Sheppard have discussed the possibility of signing Cousins “here and there,” admitting that it might make sense for the big man to wait until next year to return — like Wall is doing. Cousins is recovering from a torn ACL.
- During that same interview with Spears, Wall said that he’d like to play for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics next summer, and has conveyed his interest to USA Basketball (Twitter link via Hughes). The Wizards’ point guard wasn’t one of 44 preliminary Team USA finalists announced in February, but could become a more viable candidate now that the event has been pushed back a year.
- Wall also discussed the Black Lives Matter movement and other social-justice issues in an interesting conversation with Fred Katz of The Athletic.
John who?
Wall can give Cousins some of his contract, if he wants him as a team mate so bad.
Hmm but kyrie isnt talking about being safe?
Im not gonna listen to the pod but those first 2 paragraphs dont make any sense combined
John wall is the most disrespected player in the nba. And I have a theory that you can laugh at me for… he can’t shoot threes on 2k. Dead serious. You know how many kids play 2k and like dribbling with steph, kyrie, dame, and then just splash in your face? They can’t do that with wall. No offense but a lot of nba fans don’t watch the games but like to get their opinions in and the most nba experience they get is with 2k. I’m being dead serious. It has some to do with it.
what does shooting 3s have to do with anything? for the new kids who grew up with guys like klay and curry i guess. but for me i love guys like wade who wasnt even the best 3 point shooter. but that dude could score
It’s how kids perceive him via the game, is what dude is theorizing. It makes sense actually.
im trying to understand how what the nba trying to do not safe. how much safer can you get? what more can you do than have no fans and play in one city in a bubble like area.
I’m sick of player’s who aren’t playing for anything talk about how the NBA is wrong for this. When I hear from Lebron, AD, Giannis, Harden, Westbrook, Butler, Kawhi, PG, or any other star on a contending team maybe then I’ll be more inclined to believe the malarkey.
Cousins is actually a good idea for Wizards. Probably get him cheap too. I don’t think he can start anymore. You have manage his mins 20-24 a gm. It’s really nuts how players who don’t play. All talk about not playing.
“I just don’t feel like it’s safe.”
And that’s the problem. Too many people are relying on their feelings, not facts and logic. That’s what happens to people who allow the media to deceive them by playing on their fears all the time.
I’ve taken common-sense measures, and I’m a risk-averse person. But looking at the probabilities, I have no issue taking my family on vacation to a tourist location (which I already did in May) or to entertainment venues locally (which I have also done).
Life is all about risk. And I haven’t yet taken any undue risks with my family. I never would.
Play ball.
My list of players that I used to like is dwindling, Kyrie, JT… now Wall, I can’t honestly like & enjoy guys who don’t wanna play hoops, now Trae Young is one of my top guys, he is raging for not playing, & that is what I wanna see & hear from any star, those 3 I mentioned early ain’t no stars in my book!
Wall talking about not going because it’s not safe is really funny stuff.
Does that also mean he’s not going home as well ?