The Hornets have contacted the Wizards to inquire about the possibility of acquiring Bradley Beal, a source confirms to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Spencer Percy of Queen City Hoops (Twitter link) first linked Charlotte to Beal.
A report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday suggested that the Wizards were giving teams the impression that they’re willing to discuss any player on their roster, including Beal and John Wall. However, multiple reports since then have downplayed Washington’s interest in making a move involving Beal or Wall. In other words, while they’re not going to hang up on teams asking about Beal, the Wizards appear unlikely to actually trade him.
Even if the Wizards are open to listening, it’s not clear what sort of package the Hornets would be willing to put on the table for Beal. Percy suggests (via Twitter) that Marvin Williams and Jeremy Lamb‘s expiring contract might be a start for salary-matching purposes, with Miles Bridges, Malik Monk, and/or future first-round picks among the assets Charlotte could include in a proposal.
Although a deal between the two division rivals seems like a long shot, the Hornets’ apparent interest in Beal reflects the team’s desire to add a second impact player to complement star point guard Kemba Walker.
Earlier today, Bonnell wrote in a piece for The Observer that Walker and Hornets owner Michael Jordan are both interested in extending the relationship beyond 2019, when Kemba becomes a free agent. However, Bonnell also noted that Charlotte will need to get Walker some help in order to maximize his prime and convince him that the Hornets can become a contender.
I agree with Luke. Need to start with a big salary Williams/MKG/Biyombo and need to add Lamb probably with one of the previous 3 to equal Beal’s salary and add either Bridges, Monk, or a 1st to make it worth while for Washington.
Washington be crazy to turn that down.
MKG, Lamb, and Monk would be interesting if they could find a 3rd team to take Lamb and swap an equal contract at a position of need for the Wiz.
If that happens, I see Charlotte as a poor mans Portland.
Walker and Beal combined are not as great as Lillard and McCollum combined. And Portland tips out as an above average but not great team.
I like the thought of Charlotte going for it because Walkers last year and the rest of the division is in the dump but I still see them as a first round exit
Idk walker might be just as good as lillard, and id say beal is a better shooter then mccollum
That might be true, but if you put Portland in the Eastern Conference over the past 3 seasons, they would have probably gotten much further in the playoffs. Charlotte could easily be a top 4 seed in the East if they were “Portland-lite”
That would make for a super fun backcourt. The Hornets are already fun to watch (I haven’t said that since before the original team moved), but I’d pay to see a Walker/Beal backcourt any day.
Discussing players and pursuing trades are two different things. What is Washington looking to accomplish? Reconfigure or rebuild? Salary cap rigidity and luxury tax are a problem this year and a structural one over the next few years, but solving that can’t be the only long term goal. Moving one of the big long term contracts is likely a given regardless, but it will be easier this summer. Do they care about paying the luxury tax this year? Some of their expiring deals can likely be moved in Jan/Feb for that purpose.
Washington Post says John Wall wants to retire with Wizards.
Is Beal really better than Porter?
Whoever is putting a package together for Beal, I would advise, dial a little back from that and go for OttoJr.
They have almost the same contract.
Wizards needs are 3,4,5. (Porter to be traded, Morris expiring and interested in recombining with his twin, Howard a pain in the butt.)
So, Otto Porter for two of three:
SF MKGilchrist, a guy who can play on Wall’s wavelength w/toughness, rebounding;
Cody Zeller, a plus center who will stay up;
Marvin Williams, who like Porter might drag but also hit baseline 3s.
Lamb is just a lesser Beal. Biyombo is a Mahinmi. Batum has negative value.
No draft picks should be necessary.
You meant Zeller is a minus center, right? What is it about this guy that you think is so good, he probably isn’t even in the top-50 centers in the league, he is a dead weight & even worse he isn’t gonna get any better.
I will link some comparisons. Check BPM, VORP, WS, ORtg-DRtg.
BTW, I’m winning, Zeller is getting the most minutes.
Actually, they are both having a fine year. But neither can influence the game physically as much as you want a center to do. Borrego is not satisfied with the center personnel and he would likely be open to trades. . . ^^^ He has been looking at different people there (MKG, Marvin)
It’s nice when the center can step out for threes, but somebody needs to control the paint for the team. . . Willy does not seem to care much about that & seems to be in his own world. Zeller is focussed.
Careers: link to basketball-reference.com
2019: link to basketball-reference.com
By “stay up” I mean he likely won’t wither on a contentious, unsupportive team, which would matter on the Wizards.
No cap relief-? Wall’s contract doubles next year, and they’re already into the luxury tax. I would only want Zeller of the players you mentioned, and then expiring deals. Zeller, like Porter, might benefit from a change of scenery, and (in Zeller’s case) position (he’s not a C on a good team). As long as only Zeller is on the books next year, it clears about 12 mm. Along with their expiring guys, it allows them to perhaps make an offer for Oubre who is still young, and/or go with Troy Brown (who they must like). Though, if I’m the Wiz, I’d hold on Porter for now, as a better market might develop for him this summer.
Beal = CJ McCollum
CJ is way better than Beal, not even close.
They are pretty close and I think Beal is slightly better. Wall is a bad fit next to Beal