There are a few NBA stars that seem stuck in a losing situation on teams that are likely incapable of constructing a sufficient supporting cast around them. Perhaps the top name that comes to mind is Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. Another one on the list is certainly Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal, who appears to be a logical offseason trade target.
Beal played 50 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 33.5 minutes per game. He shot 50.6 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent from 3-point range, both of which are up substantially from his subpar 2021-22 campaign.
Signed to a staggering five-year, $251 million contract, Beal earned just under $43.3 million this season. He will earn $50 million or more in the final three seasons of his contract while accounting for over one third of his team’s spending room in relation to the NBA salary cap. There’s no way around it, he’s signed to an expensive contract that will be hard to move.
To fully appreciate the magnitude of Beal’s future earnings, he is owed $57.1 million as a 33-year-old in 2026-27, if he was to exercise his final-year player option. Any team that is trading for him will need to be willing to undertake such a significant obligation for possibly the next four seasons.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards & New York Knicks Updates
One team that stands out as a potential suitor for a star talent is the New York Knicks. While it remains to be seen how they will fare against the Cleveland Cavaliers in their first-round playoff series, it’s clear that adding Jalen Brunson into the mix has helped to elevate them to a new level. Julius Randle is back to playing All-NBA level basketball. What could they achieve if they added Beal?
In a hypothetical offseason trade scenario crafted by Bleacher Report, the Knicks would receive Beal in exchange for RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, a 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), a 2025 first-round pick (via MIL), and a 2026 first-round pick (top-8 protected).
There is a crucial piece of context to consider when evaluating Beal as a possible trade candidate for the Knicks. New York passed on the chance to trade for Donovan Mitchell last offseason. Mitchell, 26, is not only three years younger than Beal, but he’s also a more impactful player and he’s signed to a substantially cheaper contract. He earned just $30.4 million this season and has a final-year player option worth $37.1 million in 2025-26.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards & New York Knicks Updates
The Knicks would benefit from making a substantial move this offseason with the assets they have at their disposal. However, it would be fascinating to see them decide that Beal is the player they want to pursue as opposed to holding out for an even bigger star that becomes available in the future.
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