The Washington Wizards face a challenging situation as a franchise. It has become almost an annual occurrence where Bradley Beal is mentioned in NBA trade rumors as desiring the organization to add a difference-making talent ahead of the deadline.
There was a sense that Russell Westbrook could potentially be that talent when the Wizards acquired him from the Houston Rockets. He later opted to request a trade to land with the Los Angeles Lakers. Even with Westbrook, Washington had to pull off a late-season rally to make it through the play-in tournament for the eighth seed.
At times, there’s been mention of Domantas Sabonis or Jerami Grant as potential trade targets for the Wizards to pursue, but again, neither player is necessarily capable of elevating the Wizards into being a legitimate threat.
It seems as though Beal is entering a possible inflection point in his tenure with the Wizards. Whether the feeling is that a trade would be the desired outcome or not, Washington is facing a real risk with either route they take ahead of Beal’s eligibility for a supermax contract extension this offseason.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Landing Spots Bradley Beal Should Be Eyeing As Next Team
According to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Bradley Beal ‘remains conflicted’ about his long-term future as a member of the Washington Wizards. He has a desire to stay with the organization but he remains ‘uncertain’ about the team’s chances of surrounding him with the ‘difference-making talent’ necessary.
Multiple league sources have indicated Beal remains conflicted. His desire to stay for his entire career with the franchise that took him third overall in 2012 remains genuine. But Beal also remains uncertain about whether the Wizards can surround him with difference-making talent that will make them a regular playoff contender. His contention in a recent interview with NBC Sports Washington’s Chris Miller that another Play-In Tournament appearance would be a step back for him spoke volumes.
After beginning the season with a surprise 10-3 record through 13 games, the Wizards now find themselves ranking 12th in the Eastern Conference standings. The Atlanta Hawks now hold the final play-in spot and are a whole game ahead of the Washington with the lead likely growing as Beal is currently sidelined due to a hand injury.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Landing Spots Bradley Beal Should Be Eyeing As Next Team
The Wizards currently have are not giving any ‘serious consideration’ to the idea of trading Beal at the NBA trade deadline despite there being a sense that Beal is uncertain about his future once again.
Sources have heard no indications the Wizards are seriously considering trading Beal. But there is less unanimity among league sources about what Beal wants to do.
There has been long-held doubt around the NBA about Beal being capable of leading a franchise to playoff success as a top option. While clearly he’s a high-level player, the Washington Wizards paying him a supermax extension just to stay is a decision that seems to hold a real chance of becoming problematic in the future.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Landing Spots Bradley Beal Should Be Eyeing As Next Team
If Bradley Beal were to land on a team like the Philadelphia 76ers, he could serve as a secondary option alongside a legitimate MVP candidate in Joel Embiid. The team already is second in the Eastern Conference standings despite being hampered with absences due to the NBA health and safety protocol to key players and, of course, Ben Simmons not having played a single game.
