Washington Wizards apply for disabled player exception for John Wall: report

The Washington Wizards have applied for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) over John Wall’s Achilles injury that — if granted — would give them an additional $9.258 million to spend or use in a trade.

The NBA has yet to rule on whether Washington’s application would be approved, The Athletic reported.

Wall is recovering from a torn Achilles that is projected to keep him out for most, if not all, of next season. The exception allows a “team which is over the cap to replace a disabled player who will be out for the remainder of that season,” according to salary cap guru Larry Coon.

The Wizards have not ruled out Wall for all of next season, but can be granted the exception if an NBA-designated physician determines that the point guard would “substantially more likely than not” be out until June 15 of the following season.

If granted, the Wizards could use the exception in one of three ways: They could sign a player worth up to the amount granted, trade for a player in the last year of his contract or claim someone who is in the last year of their contract off waivers.

The Wizards were granted an $8.6 million DPE for Wall last season when the five-time All-Star underwent season-ending heel surgery in January.

Washington then used that money to acquire forward Wesley Johnson in a trade, also creating an $8.6 million trade exception in the process.

When the Wizards found out Wall tore his Achilles in February, a team doctor told reporters the guard’s timetable for recovery would be anywhere from 11 to 15 months.

Last week on the red carpet of the NBA Awards show, Wall told NBC Sports Washington his rehab was going well, adding that he expected to start jogging in two weeks. He is out of his walking boot and said he has been able to do exercises standing up.

The Wizards added two point guards to the roster Monday. They first agreed to sign veteran Ish Smith to a two-year, $12 million deal and then added former All-Star Isaiah Thomas on a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. Tomas Satoransky, who filled in for Wall in the past, agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chicago Bulls.

Wall appeared in 32 games last year, averaging 20.7 points and 8.7 assists per game. With his four-year, $170 million supermax extension set to kick in, he will make nearly $38 million next season.