Flip Saunders Talked to John Wall About His Legacy

The pitiful Washington Wizards claimed their first win of the season against Toronto last night, but head coach Flip Saunders wants his point guard to focus on the future. Per the WaPo: “It’s not where we’ve been, it’s where we’re going. This is a great opportunity for you to establish your legacy and where you’re going with it,’ Saunders said he told [John] Wall. Wall is having an admittedly difficult start to his second season. His production is down from last season, averaging just 14.4 points on 35.1 percent shooting with 6.8 rebounds and 3.9 turnovers. He also ranks 178th in player efficiency rating – just ahead of Gordon Hayward and Renaldo Balkman and about nine spots below Evan Turner, the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft. Wall has struggled playing with a supporting cast that can’t shoot but also a desire to do too much in response, which contributes to some out- of-control play at times. After the Wizards lost their eighth game in a row to Minnesota on Sunday in a display of selfish one-on-one play, Wall sounded helpless to the struggles on the team, which is shooting just 39.7 percent and ranks 30th in offensive rating and assists. ‘I just try to be the point guard, try to lead people out there on the floor and get everybody involved,; Wall said. ‘That’s my role, you know what I mean. You find guys when they are open and you don’t turn them down when they are open. Then whatever they do after that when they got the ball, it’s up to the person that’s got it.’ Wall said he didn’t expect this season to be that tough. ‘It’s not good right now.'”