No matter how many times they say that they don’t have any plan of trading him, rumors couldn’t just stop from swirling around All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal and his future with the Washington Wizards. With their inability to build a legitimate title contender around him, most people continue to believe that Beal would be moved at some point in the 2021 offseason.
Citing a source with direct knowledge of the All-Star shooting guard’s thinking, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported that Beal may consider demanding a trade from the Wizards before the 2021 NBA Draft.
Bradley Beal’s Situation With Wizards Becomes ‘Fluid’
After they got eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Beal reiterated his commitment with the Wizards, saying that he intended to spend his entire NBA career in Washington. However, things have changed since Beal made that statement.
According to a source who spoke to Fischer, Beal’s situation with the Wizards has become "fluid." Though they have said on numerous occasions that they consider him as the centerpiece of the team, the Wizards don’t seem to have a specific plan that would put them in a strong position to make a deep playoff run next year.
Four Favorite Trade Destinations For Bradley Beal
If the Wizards finally agree to free him, Fischer revealed the four NBA teams Beal "would welcome joining" in the 2021 offseason. These include the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
"Beal does not have a proverbial list of preferred destinations, but it was mentioned by multiple sources that he would welcome joining teams such as Boston, Golden State, Miami or Philadelphia—although Beal requesting a trade would all but guarantee an expansive bidding war across the league," Fischer wrote.
What The Celtics, Warriors, Heat & Sixers Could Offer For Bradley Beal?
Targeting a player of Beal’s caliber on the trade market would be expensive. Even if Beal’s desire to play for them is true, the Celtics, Warriors, Heat, and the Sixers would still have to come up with an intriguing offer to convince the Wizards to engage in a blockbuster deal.
Both the Celtics and the Sixers could offer a trade package centered on young All-Stars such as Jaylen Brown and Ben Simmons. For the Heat and the Warriors, they would likely be needing to sacrifice a combination of young players and multiple first-round picks to acquire Beal.
Bradley Beal Worth The Price
Going all-in for Beal would definitely be worth it for the Celtics, Warriors, Heat, and the Sixers.
"Beal’s the guy right now," an assistant GM told Bleacher Report. "The one guy that could be available, that could help you win the whole thing."
Beal would be an incredible acquisition for aspiring contenders like the Celtics, Warriors, Heat, and the Sixers. He would give them one of the league’s best active scorers, as well as a decent playmaker and an elite three-point shooter. Last season, he averaged 31.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Also, with his ability to excel in an off-ball capacity, he won’t have a hard time making himself with a team that already has multiple superstars on their roster.
