The Wizards are in the midst of a five-game win streak, one that’s coincided with the absence of Wall, who had knee surgery last week and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. That’s led some to wonder whether Washington is better without him on the court.
More on John Wall Injury
John Wall: "I've seen these guys put in a lot of work every day, and we always say the motto is next man up no matter what. I think we moved the ball well early in the season, we just couldn't make shots. And we couldn't defend at all. I think now guys are stepping up and the first unit and second unit are playing very well. But it was kind of shocking to hear a couple people say the ball is moving a lot better, when that's what I pride myself off of, being more happy when my teammates are scoring than I am."
Wall says he's still on crutches and waiting to get stitches out but overall is feeling great as the rehab begins. "I'm very positive through this whole process, just mentally strong," he told The Jump. "Been through it before. It was just to a point where I knew I couldn't be myself and I just wanted to get myself healthy. I know I got a long career where that I want to play, and to jeopardize it on this season, I thought it was best to have surgery."
Chase Hughes: The Wizards are now 10-6 without John Wall. That's close to 20 percent of their season and it equates to 51 wins over the course of a full schedule. Not bad.
Washington is without All-Star point guard John Wall for 6-8 weeks after he underweent a procedure on his left knee on Wednesday. But the Wizards aren't in the market to make a move that would jeopardize their future - meaning the Wizards are unlikely and maybe even unwilling to trade their 2018 first-round pick just to get backcourt help in Wall's absence.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Washington’s John Wall underwent his left knee surgery today, league source tells ESPN. He’s expected back in 6 to 8 weeks.
Candace Buckner: John Wall's arthroscopic debridement procedure today in Cleveland was a success, I've been told.
Fred Katz: In an opening question about John Wall, Scott Brooks drops a line about tonight’s game vs. OKC, “There’s no question we’re playing against one of the best players in the game - if not the best player.”
Candace Buckner: Scott Brooks on Wall absence: "I know if you feel sorry for yourself, you're missing the boat or missing the opportunity because nobody in the league is feeling sorry for us."
David Aldridge: Told @John Wall had the option for “clean-up” procedure (@Candace Buckner first) on knee earlier but opted for PRP treatment in hopes he could get thru the rest of the season afterward. Still wants to play now, but “at some point you have to be realistic,” per source.
Chris Mannix: Timeline for John Wall's return is 6-8 weeks, source tells @YahooSports
Candace Buckner: John Wall's latest knee procedure needed to happen. He didn't want to put it off until after the All-Star weekend, I'm told, so that he could get back in time for the playoffs. Long end of the timeline has him returning March 27 when #Wizards play the Spurs
Candace Buckner: DEVELOPING: John Wall will undergo a knee procedure tomorrow (described as a clean up). He will miss six weeks & will not play in upcoming All-Star weekend, The Washington Post has learned. Story coming soon.
Chris Miller: John Wall is OUT tonight vs. @Jaryd Wilson (left knee) Tomas Satoransky will start in his place #DCFamily #NBA #WizHawks
Candace Buckner: John Wall said that next week he plans to go to Cleveland and visit the doctor who performed his 2016 knee surgeries. "Our doctors here have been doing a great job but there's nothing wrong with getting a second opinion."
Candace Buckner: John Wall threw down one thunderous dunk and blocked a big shot late in the game. Not once did he concern himself about his recovering knee. “If I’m going to be out here thinking about it, then I don’t need to be out there playing.” washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards…
Chase Hughes: John Wall is playing tonight.
Rashad Mobley: Per Coach Brooks, Wall will play but is on a mid-20s minutes restriction and Mahinmi is a game-time decision
Candace Buckner: John Wall is out tonight for ninth straight game. Scott Brooks said team will give him another day of rest and see how it looks re: playing tomorrow.
David Aldridge: All signs point to @JohnWall returning for the Wizards Wednesday in D.C. versus the Grizzlies, per source.
Candace Buckner: And here is Scott Brooks' direct quote on John Wall's status tomorrow vs Nets: "I can't commit that he's going to play tomorrow but he's definitely moving in the right direction." IMO would make sense for Wall to wait till Wednesday, the second night of a back to back.
Beal eventually will come back down to earth. But Wall doesn’t want to be the reason behind this inevitable descent. “We got to find a way to still keep him in his rhythm when I come back,” Wall said, “Keep him the same zone that he’s in.”
Candace Buckner: As expected, John Wall is out today vs #Clippers and will miss his eighth straight game. Team has a practice Monday in NYC, and he'll likely participate in his second full team session at that point.
Candace Buckner: Big news: John Wall participated in his first practice today (5 on 5), said his left knee “felt great.” However Wall will not play tomorrow vs the #Clippers
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Wall, who received platelet-rich plasma and viscosupplementation injections in his left knee on Nov. 25, could make his return to the lineup by the middle of next week. The team originally shared that Wall would miss “approximately two weeks,” however, Wall has not gone through a practice or a shootaround with teammates. Although Wall is improving he still needs more time to recover, the source said.
Candace Buckner: Scott Brooks on John Wall’s post-shootaround session: “Just getting his workout with the coaches. There some conditioning and basketball work. Just the natural progression we have him going.”
Candace Buckner: More Brooks said he “doesn’t know when” Wall will return. Every day the team evaluates where he is and so far he’s “checked all the boxes.”
Six days removed from having platelet-rich plasma treatment and viscosupplementation injections in his left knee, Wizards point guard John Wall met with the media on Friday morning to dicuss the latest in his recovery timeline. "In Charlotte after the game I was with a couple of my friends. My agent said I was limping throughout the game. I didn’t even notice it. The adrenaline, going through the game, being back home in front of family. It was like, alright you need to do something about it," he said. "We talked, figured out what it was. After the Charlotte game I could barely walk. It was flaming up. My knee was swelling up even more. They were like we have to do something about it. I agreed to it."
Candace Buckner: John Wall will travel with the team during its two-game, back-to-back road trip to MIN and PHI.
Chris Miller: Teams not in a rush to make a roster move according to Scott Brooks with the news John Wall will be out for at least two weeks. (left knee swelling/soreness) #DCFamily #NBA
Chris Mannix: Wizards are optimistic that Wall, long plagued by knee issues, will be ready to go after two weeks, but with a tough schedule ahead, someone needs to step up.
Candace Buckner: Per timeline, looks like the earliest John Wall will return is Dec. 9 in Los Angeles, during the #Wizards long road trip
Candace Buckner: Per #Wizards, John Wall will miss two weeks. Wall must receive PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and viscosupplementation injections to reduce the inflammation in his left knee.
Chase Hughes: John Wall is not at practice today due to left knee soreness.
Candace Buckner: John Wall (sore left knee) IS playing tonight vs the #Bucks, per Scott Brooks
John Wall will be a game-time decision Monday night when the Washington Wizards continue their three-game road swing with a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night at the Bradley Center. Wall, averaging 19.9 points and 9.3 assists per game this season, sat out the Wizards' 100-91 loss at Toronto on Sunday because of sore left knee. The ailment bothered him for the past week and limited him to nine points on 3-of-12 shooting in a loss to Miami on Friday. "He did wake up (Sunday) morning feeling better, not as sore," coach Scott Brooks told the Washington Post. "But it's still wait-and-see (Monday). There's a good chance, but I don't know. Overnight, you never know. But it's nothing serious. That's the most important. He's going to be fine. It's just we felt another ... 48 hours between the games would help."
Josh Lewenberg: No John Wall (knee) for Washington today
With how poorly John Wall played on Friday night against the Miami Heat, it makes sense that there is a specific explanation why. Wall, who went scoreless until 5:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, says he had little mobility in his left knee due to fluid buildup. It all stems from last weekend when he was administered two IVs by the Wizards' training staff so he could play against the Atlanta Hawks.
Wall was given the fluids to combat a bad cold that was compounded by a migraine headache. They didn't settle correctly and now the fluid has collected in his left knee. Now a week later, Wall is still feeling the effects. "I could barely move out there," he said. "I was feeling like some s***."
You wouldn't have known it by John Wall's performance on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings when he dropped a game-high 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting with nine assists, but the Wizards' star point guard was playing through a good deal of pain. Not only have migraines affected him lately, but Wall also sprained his ankle in Monday's win and had his knee swell up due to fluids from the IVs he received prior to Saturday's win over the Hawks. He revealed all of that in his walkoff interview with Chris Miller on NBC Sports Washington.
Following a win, Wall was able to smile about it all, though none of it sounds fun. Wall told Chris: "I sprained my ankle today. My knee got puffy when I got the IV. The IV fluid went down there. I'm dealing with migraines. But when I come in between these lines, I can't make no excuses. I compete. I didn't want to sit out. I wanted to give these guys an opportunity to keep building on this."
Chase Hughes: John Wall is sick and considered questionable for tonight’s game. He’s not at shootaround.
Chase Hughes: John Wall will play tonight after missing Sunday’s game.
Chris Miller: John Wall is OUT (shoulder) Tim Frazier will start but has a sore wrist #WizRaptors
Shams Charania: Sources: After tests on injured shoulder, Wizards star John Wall has no structural damage, just soreness. Listed as questionable vs. Raptors.
John Wall has left shoulder sprain, x-rays after game were negative. He left arena with arm in sling. Said he shouldn't have kept playing after running into Channing Frye late in game. His status for Sunday's game at Toronto is uncertain.
Candace Buckner: John Wall finished the game but Brooks says he has a left shoulder sprain. Will get X-Rays later
J. Michael Falgoust: Per Brooks: Porter (back) is out. Wall (quad) is out #WizPistons #WASatDET
Chase Hughes: Scott Brooks said he expects John Wall (migraine) to play tonight, but hasn't confirmed.
Although John Wall wore flip flops on the practice court, signifying he was not a participant in the team’s physical one-on-one session, Brooks reported that he is feeling “good” a day following his left foot sprain. No further tests are scheduled, but Brooks indicated that Wall will continue to receive treatment and be evaluated again ahead of the Friday night matchup against the Chicago Bulls before determining his playing status.
Candace Buckner: Scott Brooks said John Wall has a "minor sprain" in left foot. Also, X-rays came back negative.
"Let's just say it's not ideal for you to meet a player for the first time when he's in a hospital bed," Scott Brooks would later say. He who flew to Cleveland to see Wall days after officially being hired as the Washington Wizards head coach last spring. "And it's even less ideal when that guy is your All-Star point guard and he just had surgery on both knees. But that's where we were and that's where we got to know each other."
"There were days I could barely walk," Wall says. "For the last few seasons I couldn't jump over a telephone book off my left leg. You can look at the film, all you'll see is me jumping off my right leg or two feet. I learned how to be effective doing it, but I wasn't myself."
J. Michael Falgoust: Wall said doctors told him he couldnt play back to backs until Jan (2 knee surgeries May 5) #WizHawks
After the game, Wall underwent X-rays on his right pinkie finger and left wrist. The results came back negative, but Wall revealed he had been dealing with the injuries before the Wizards played in Boston. “My right pinkie is messed up and my left wrist is swollen,” Wall said. “I knew it was hurting. I knew it was painful before the game. It was a big game for us. I just tried to come out and play through it and the result came out how it was.”
Brooks believes that Wall’s injuries may linger. “It’s going to affect him a little bit in the next couple of weeks, but he’s tough,” Brooks said. “He’s not gong to complain about it. That’s what I love about him. I love that competitive spirit. Then he took about four of five shots that he probably shouldn’t have taken but he’d been playing extremely well.”
John Wall will be held out of the Washington Wizards' game Saturday at Chicago as coach Scott Brooks attempts to manage the All-Star guard's minutes. Brooks had said Wall would not play both halves of a back-to-back set. Wall was set to play Friday night at home against the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Wall is coming off surgery on each knee.
J. Michael Falgoust: John Wall again was a full participant today #WizardsTalk @CSNMA
Chris Miller: As expected #Wizards John Wall (knees) and Marcus Thornton (thumb) are out tonight vs. @Philadelphia 76ers #WizardsTalk #SixersTalk
J. Michael Falgoust: When Wall goes through a full 5 on 5 session, which hasn't happened yet, then the next step would be a game #WizardsTalk #WizSixers
J. Michael Falgoust: Wall told @CSNMA hes ahead of schedule with knees but wont commit yet to being on commit to opener Oct 27 #WizardsTalk
Candace Buckner: Scott Brooks won't commit to John Wall appearing in a game this October: "To early to say if he’ll play in any preseason games."
Candace Buckner: John Wall has been playing 1-on-1 & 3-on-3 with teammates. Good sign. But no indication when he'll be ready for camp washingtonpost.com/news/wizards-i…
During a lunch with Washington Post editors and reporters on Wednesday, Brooks addressed a wide range of topics including John Wall’s health. When asked if Wall would be available for the Wizards’ first training camp practice, Tuesday on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Brooks expressed uncertainty, though he didn’t appear too concerned at this point. “Don’t know that but he’s doing some one-on-one, he’s doing some three-on-three. Not really worried about that,” Brooks said. “Like all of our athletes, I want them to be ready but he’s definitely moving towards that direction.”
“I don’t like to put a timetable [on it] because if he doesn’t meet it [then] we’re saying, ‘Oh, he’s still hurt,’ ” Brooks said. “He’s improving. His body looks great [but] his conditioning is going to be behind. Once you step into an NBA practice, the level goes way up,” Brooks continued. “Especially in a training camp situation where you have guys trying to make it, guys trying to fight for minutes, trying to fight for starting jobs, but we have to make sure [about Wall] because that’s when things can go sideways. I saw him this morning for an hour, he looked great, but I don’t know -– we’ll find out soon.”
John Wall is progressing following two knee procedures this offseason, but it remains uncertain whether the Washington Wizards point guard will be ready for the regular season opener on Oct. 27. "He's working hard. Every day he's in the gym, getting his rehab on his body," coach Scott Brooks told CSN's Chris Miller Tuesday. "He's on the court, he's playing. One-on-one right now."
