The Washington Wizards made a respectable effort to earn a spot in the 2021 NBA playoffs but failed to achieve anything more than just an appearance. Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook carried a supporting cast riddled with poor defenders and a lack of perimeter shooting.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, Beal has not made a definitive decision about requesting a trade from the Wizards, but he knows he must make a decision before the 2021 NBA Draft. The situation is ‘fluid.’
“He knows he has to make a decision before the draft,” one source with direct knowledge of Beal’s thinking told Bleacher Report. For the past year, people familiar with Beal’s dedicated relationship to the Wizards have consistently rebuffed the notion he had interest in playing elsewhere. Yet a second source close to Beal, when contacted by B/R, confirmed the situation is now fluid.
There are many implications a potential trade request from Bradley Beal including what happens with Russell Westbrook. Fischer also reported that Westbrook and Beal are both uncertain regarding each other’s futures with the Wizards and Westbrook could be the first of the two to request a trade.
The situation is reminiscent of the ending to Russell Westbrook’s tenure with the Houston Rockets. He got ahead of James Harden requesting a trade and ended up facilitating a departure of his own, which ultimately landed him with the Washington Wizards.
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