Report: Wall has jealousy issues, was irked by Harden's extension
John Wall recently admitted to friction with teammate Bradley Beal, but it sounds like Wall may have beef with more than just his backcourt mate.
According to The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, a league source familiar with Wall's state of mind claims that the All-Star point guard has jealousy issues. "He's always upset with someone who makes more money than him," the source told O'Connor.
Related: Wall-Beal relationship much worse than reported
Wall signed a five-year contract in 2013 worth roughly $85 million, a figure dwarfed by the mammoth contracts signed this summer, as the salary cap exploded.
One such beneficiary of the rising cap was James Harden, who renegotiated his contract with the Rockets into a four-year, $118-million deal that will see him earn more than $26 million in 2016-17. Citing a front-office executive, O'Connor reports that Harden's extension, specifically, "rankled" Wall.
It wouldn't be the first time Wall has looked to Harden's financial successes, as The Vertical reported earlier this year that the reason Wall turned down Adidas' $7.5-million-per-year offer was because he "wanted Harden money." Harden had previously agreed to a reported 13-year contract with the apparel giant worth $200 million.
As for the tension between Wall and Beal, remember that the Wizards recently signed Beal to a five-year, max contract worth more than $127 million. That agreement easily makes Beal the team's highest-paid player, and means he'll earn better than $5 million more than Wall will this season.
In other words, if reports of Wall's envy are accurate, don't expect the situation in D.C. to get better any time soon.