NBA Rumors: Wizards Apply for Disabled Player Exception for Injured John Wall
The Washington Wizards applied for a disabled player exception in relation to point guard John Wall on Tuesday, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
Vecenie added that the NBA has yet to notify the Wizards whether the application has been accepted or denied.
Per Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors, the disabled player exception gives the team additional funds to sign a player if an NBA doctor determines that the player is "substantially more likely than not" to miss the remainder of a given season.
If the NBA grants the Wizards a disabled player exception, Washington will likely be able to sign a player for the amount of the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception, which is $9.258 million.
Wall could miss the entire 2019-20 season after suffering a ruptured Achilles.
Before suffering a ruptured Achilles during a fall at his home, Wall had already undergone season-ending surgery on his heel.
Wall appeared in just 32 games last season, averaging 20.7 points, 8.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals. During his nine-year NBA career, the 28-year-old Wall has been named an All-Star on five occasions.
If the Wizards are forced to play without Wall for the entire 2019-20 season, they could be in danger of being one of the NBA's worst teams. Aside from All-Star guard Bradley Beal, the Wiz are severely lacking in terms of top-end talent.
The Wizards have agreed to free-agent deals with guards Isaiah Thomas and Ish Smith in an effort to replace some of Wall's production next season, but they still have needs on the wing and in the frontcourt.
Getting a disabled player exception could aid the Wizards in adding another piece, although ESPN's Bobby Marks reported in January that a relatively small percentage of teams that are granted the exception actually use it:
Washington would have little to lose by using the exception since it could only sign a player to a one-year deal, meaning there would be no long-term financial commitment.
It would also give the Wizards a potential trade chip should they falter next season and fail to contend for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
