The Washington Wizards are stuck in NBA limbo. After a fast start to the 2021-22 season, they quickly fell back down to Earth and found themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The Wizards are too talented to be consistently chasing number one overall picks, but not good enough to be considered real playoff threats.
They finished with a 35-47 record, just outside of the Play-In Tournament in the East and good for only the 10th-best lottery odds in the league. Unless Lady Luck shines kindly on Washington on lottery night, the Wizards will be headed for another year of mediocrity. That is unless they shake things up big time this off-season.
Unless they make some drastic roster moves, Washington likely won’t have any cap space to work with in free agency. Their best chances at improving the team in the immediate or far future are through the draft or trades.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Dark-Horse Trade Destinations For Wizards’ Bradley Beal
All-NBA shooting guard Bradley Beal has a player option worth just over $36 million for the 2022-2023 season. While that figure’s nothing to scoff at, it makes more financial sense for Beal to opt-out and sign a new long-term contract instead.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be leaving Washington in free agency, as the Wizards still have the ability to offer him the most money in a deal.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 2 Dark-Horse Trade Destinations For Wizards’ Bradley Beal
Rather, if Beal were to land with a new team next season, his best option would either be in a sign-and-trade deal or to just re-sign with the Wizards and seek a trade midseason.
Washington likely won’t be able to build a contender around Beal in his prime, so a trade would be in the best interest of both parties involved. Trading Bradley Beal will be the best way for the Washington Wizards to kick start a rebuild.
