Bradley Beal has only known the Washington Wizards since being the third overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, but it appears he’s now looking to move on.
It’s been reported for a few seasons now that Beal could be moving as the Wizards try to rebuild their roster. Yet, he’s been a constant in the locker room in the nation’s capital.
That seems to be changing soon, though, as ESPN reports teams are starting to reach out to the Wizards about a Beal trade, and team president Michael Wagner and Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, are "staying in close contact to discuss scenarios presented to the franchise."
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That’s pretty uncommon to have the agent involved in trade negotiations, but Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract, which allows him to sign off on a potential trade package. He’s the only player in the league to have one.
This arrangement by the Wizards will have Bartelstein talking to teams as well as Wagner and Wizards GM Will Dawkins.
The 2023 NBA Draft, which begins June 22, will likely have those conversations heat up, too.
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Beal has played just a single season under his five-year, $251 million pact that has him under Wizards control until the 2027 season. There’s also a 2026-2027 season player option that would be worth $57.128 million.
The Wizards have missed the playoffs in four of the last five campaigns, which means some roster reconstruction is likely underway. Washington will have to wait for player option decisions from Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma, but now Beal’s situation is at hand.
He’s been with the franchise for 11 seasons, remaining steady with his playing ability when he’s on the court. Beal has made three All-Star teams in that span, with his best season coming in 2020-2021 with 31.3 points averaged per game on 48.5% shooting from the field with 4.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
Beal is likely looking to join a contender that can get him back to the playoffs, where his knack for scoring would jolt an offense immediately. He averaged 23.2 points in 50 games last season, shooting 50.6% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range.
It's unknown at the moment which teams would be interested in Beal, but certain contenders will likely be lighting up the phones in Washington to see what it would take to land the 29-year-old shooting guard.
