Wizards star Bradley Beal scored 47 points on Wednesday, but it wasn’t nearly enough to topple the Pelicans, who won by a score of 124-106. The Wizards’ record dropped to an NBA-worst 3-11, and the outcome made Beal the first player in NBA history to lose 10 consecutive games in which he scored 40 or more points (Twitter link).
Asked after the game if he’s frustrated by how things are going for the team as of late, Beal replied rhetorically, “Is the sky blue?” (link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com).
When trade speculation about Beal was beginning to heat up in 2019, the All-Star guard quieted it by signing a two-year, $72MM contract extension to remain in Washington through at least 2021/22. However, the team has a 28-58 (.326) record across parts of two seasons since then, which aren’t exactly the results Beal was hoping for.
“It’s tough,” Beal said, per Youngmisuk. “I am not going to sit here and be naive. … We want to win, and I want to win. This is why I stayed. I want to win. I figured this is the place I can get it done. It’s tough. Last year was what it was. We had a lot of guys out. John (Wall) was out. It was just a rotten year. COVID hit.
“This year it’s the same thing. Like in a mini-bubble outside the bubble. No fans, no nothing, no practice time. It’s been tough.”
The Wizards have had some bad injury luck this year. Starting center Thomas Bryant suffered a season-ending ACL tear, while newly-acquired point guard Russell Westbrook – who sat out the second half of a back-to-back set on Wednesday – has also been limited by health issues, including a quad injury.
Additionally, Washington has been hit harder this year by the coronavirus pandemic than perhaps any other NBA team. Seven of the Wizards’ players have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 since the 2020/21 season began.
While Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans, Troy Brown, Rui Hachimura, Ish Smith, and Moritz Wagner all remained sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Wednesday, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said last night that he thinks there’s a “great chance” the club will get a few of those players back soon, perhaps as early as Friday (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic).
Those reinforcements could help stabilize the Wizards’ rotation, and with 58 of 72 games still to play, there’s plenty of time to turn things around. Beal said on Wednesday that the group’s confidence level remains high (link via Katz), while Brooks expressed hope that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and stressed that Beal’s desire to win is “critical to our future success” (Twitter link via Ava Wallace of The Washington Post).
Still, it’s safe to assume teams around the league will continue to monitor the situation in Washington in the coming weeks or months. For now, Beal’s frustration hasn’t risen to the point where he’s seeking a change of scenery, but he’d instantly become the NBA’s most sought-after trade target if he’s made available at any point this season.
Wiggins+future picks for Beal
Oubre+Poole+Smiley for Lonzo and Willy
JaVale for a 2nd rounder (using the $9.2M Klay Thompson IPE – BTW we don’t use “disabled” anymore because they aren’t disabled people, they are injured people – please update your brain files)
GSW would mop the floor with both Bron – again, and probably wreck the Nets too. The other teams all get better fitting pieces too.
Wiseman-Green-Ball-Beal-Curry = Beal AND Curry would avg 40+ a game with elite passers Green and Ball there hahahaha
Wizards aren’t doing that trade lol
Why stop there. Why not trade draymond for kawhi straight up. Maybe get Luka doncic for a 2037 1st round pick.
@I give no fox – because the Mavs aren’t interested in dealing Luka and Kawhi is a FA soon, GSW would be better off waiting it out.
I love that the only reason why you posted this is because you are legit scared this deal is actually feasible. I remember how you acted when GSW got Durant, talking down the leadup as “never gunna happen” – same vibes.
None of the deals you have ever proposed are feasible.
Ummm…Marty, I was laying that sarcasm on pretty thick. Your two trade proposals are absolute trash for the non warrior squads.
I think you have me confused my friend. I don’t hate the warriors and actually respect what they have done and how they built their team. I have literally never posted anything about talking down about the warriors getting Durant. Matter of fact, I posted defending him from all the haters calling him a cupcake for going to the team that beat him. Lay off the weed bud, it’s affecting your memory
If you want Beal then Wiseman would be the one to go with Wiggins. It’s tough because I want him too because you need more scoring. This would also make our defense even worse as we lose our great length to defend.
True, but I also think the Wolves pick with Wiggins and a couple futures gets it done. The Wolves pick in next years loaded draft = Wiseman
Maybe gsw could trade klay thompson because he’s injured? Wizards would surely be intrigued? Do their salaries match?
Klay for Beal straight up also might work, but I doubt GSW breaks up the splash bros.
GSW could also get Beal for this year only, then trade him again for a better fit for when Klay comes back and run with Wiseman-Green-$38M superstar-Klay-Steph, which is a monster lineup.
Klay for Beal straight up? Are you high? Beal is worth so much more than Klay. No knock on Klay, but Beal is worth more than him, plus Klay is missing a ton of time rehabbing a devastating injury. Outlandish proposal.
I dunno man, look at the Warriors right now, they would be dominating the league if they had Klay. I do agree his injury plays A part, but look at KD right now, he’s fine and Klay has the identical injury. Shooters dont entirely lose their power from the achilles.
Stat padders on bad teams are overvalued, players like Klay and Dray are undervalued. Live it, learn it, love it.
A) Beal is not a ‘stat padder’. He’s a tremendous talent.
B) The Warriors being a better team with Klay than without him does not make Klay more valuable than Beal.
C) The Warriors with Beal is a better team than the Warriors with Klay, because Beal is a much better player (no knock on Klay).
D) **Klay is currently rehabbing a serious injury and will not even play until next year**
Beal for Klay straight up is bonkers and ludicrously unfair to the Wizards.
Put the PS4/PS5 controller down.
Half of you call me a boomer, the other half calls me a teen – lol pick one
Disable –
“the raiders tried to disable the alarm system”
synonyms:
deactivate · defuse · disarm · render inoperative · make ineffective · put out of action · make harmless
This is what is meant when they say get the whole story. The truth not “the agenda”. You got the wrong files lol.
Beal could eventually be moved this yr. Gotta admit it’s not out of the question any more. Warriors don’t have the right pieces. And they are better going in a different direction. Beal n Klay are basically the same kind of player. Warriors are not going to win this yr. They are a playoff team. With Klay coming back and a high draft pick. They might be better off making sure they contend next yr. Just load up and get ready for a title run next yr. Klay injury really messed things up things up this yr.
Did you not know there’s like millions of actually-disabled people out there who found it offensive that pro sports used that word, which pro sports adapted like 50 years ago aka its long past due for change?
Times change my man, get on board. Bring whatever silly cherry-picked dictionary definition you want, it wont change real life. MLB has the IL now, not the DL. Pro athletes who get injured are NOT “disabled” – disabled means permanently not being able to do a thing a non-disabled person can do, and thats the truth whether you want to accept it or not.
Warriors fans trade proposals are the most lopsided.
I love reading them.
So you want the Wizards to trade away Beal, their only hope in even being competitive in games, for Andrew Wiggins, the failed #1 overall pick who would be on his 3rd team trying to get something out of him. Oh and the presumably trash picks the Warriors would give up. 2k GMs will never understand
Washington can score…they just need help defensively with someone that can guard wings and 4s, maybe another guy that can defend guards…
They dont necessarily need to move Beal, but they could probably survive it in the right deals, as has been exhausted at length to this point
That’s correct. Theoretical are Thybull and Simmons good defense parts vor the Wizards but I think Philly don’t interesting on this trade and Simmons-Westbrook Is a terrible spacing fit. BTW I think Bonga is, a good defense guard.
Bonga is a good defender, but he is essentially on an island of his own on that team, and still doesnt play sometimes when the rest of their guys are healthy.
(Insert bag of trash trade package) for Beal (insert homer confidence that it’s a good deal for both).
lol that was funny.
If his 2nd year wasnt a player option… you give up whatever for him. But it’s a 1.5 yr trade.
That’s not a big deal. You trade for him expecting to be able to extend him.
Because it’s all fantasy anyway?
I feel for Wizards fans. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Blow it up and trade Beal, you still can’t go full rebuild with Westbrooks contract.
Try and keep Beal and he’s going to get very unhappy.
Who says they need to go full rebuild anyway? They have several good young players, but they are all hurt or ill right now. Plus, Westbrook’s contract is tough to fit into a contending team’s cap, but for a rebuilding team, his contract is meaningless. You still have to have a minimum salary as an NBA team, even a rebuilding one. That’s why OKC had to have Horford.
If they traded Beal and got a few picks and a good prospect or two, they could be set up to be a playoff team within a year or two. Assuming they kept Bertans and Bryant came back from his ACL okay. Here’s an idea.
Grizzlies get
Bradley Beal
Anthony Gill (salary purpose)
Wizards get
Justise Winslow
Jaren Jackson Jr
Grayson Allen
MEM 2021 #1 pick
UTA 2021 #1 pick
MEM 2023 #1 pick
MEM 2025 #1 pick
All picks 100% unprotected.
Beal and Ja in the backcourt could be fantastic and could make the Grizzlies a “Portland East” yearly contender for the title. The Wizards get a nice haul of picks, even if they are late firsts. Plus each of the players are still young enough and have the pedigree to become a breakout player on a bad team.
There is zero chance Memphis gives up JJJ. The point would be to team up Ja, Beal, and JJJ (preferably with Brandon Clarke, if doable)
In order to get Beal, they will have to give up either JJJ or Clarke. I made JJJ the pick simply because Washington already has Hachimura, who Clarke is too similar to to be an effective tandem.
With the way Dieng and JV have been playing this year, JJJ won’t be missed much now. And centers with JJJ’s skill set are a lot easier to pick up in free agency than scoring guards like Beal.
Hard to imagine Memphis giving up JJJ in any circumstance – they love that kid. And the fact that Beal has 1.5 years on his current deal is a deterrent for any small market.
But I like the idea of Memphis getting involved in this trade. Assuming they don’t have to give up any key part of their future, why not?
Winslow, JJJ and 4 unprotected picks? You can’t possibly think that Beals value is that high
Yes I possibly can. He is a top 10-15 NBA player that is NOT currently on a max deal. His value is incredibly high right now.
I think they’re in rebuild mode regardless of what they do tbh
Probably true, but there are different forms of rebuilding. There is the Philly style of taking half a decade off from competing, then there is quicker rebuild. When you are trading a guy like Beal, it is very possible to jump a rebuild ahead by 2-3 years. Much like Memphis did by winning the Ja lottery as well.
They get assets back for Beal, no need to rebuild “tbh”.
If they’re junk WITH Beal what exactly are they getting FOR Beal that would make them good enough to avoid a rebuild?
Unless they’re getting LeBron or Giannis for him I don’t see any trade for Beal getting Washington back into the playoffs any time soon.
But they are not junk WITH Beal. They are junk with INJURIES to the other 4 starters around Beal.
Let’s see….
Last yr they were 25-47 (.347)
The year before 32-50 (.390)
and this year they’re 3-11, and RWB looks like Iverson on the Pistons
I’m not saying injuries and COVID haven’t played a role. But what’s the excuse for the past two seasons?
They’re in a rebuild either way and if you don’t agree apparently you think running back sub .400 teams 3+ seasons is a form of “contending” — but to me that’s just pure JUNK
The excuse for last year and the year before was John Wall’s injury. When a third of your salary cap doesn’t play at all, which he didn’t for all of last year and half the year before, you are not likely to be good.
Besides, who cares about the past. They didn’t have half the guys on this year’s roster then. Westbrook could be done, but he also could be having a bad month in a new situation. Bryant looked like a potential stud, if he can comeback who knows. Bertans is a solid starter. Rui is getting better. Deni, who knows, but he has potential.
The Wizards have been the mist snakebitten team in the league this year. They lost Wetsbrook before he even got started. Then they lost Bryant for the year when it appeared he might be in the midst of a breakout year. Then you factor in the multiple COVID cases/protocols they have had to deal with and it is really amazing that they have even won 3 games.
I think they have a good roster, but they are just not healthy. I would be frustrated if I was Beal too, but the frustration should not be at losing, it should be at health.
True but I think this pretty much boils down to Russ officially entering his early 30s Iverson lost half a step decline
l
The 4 main teams I could see being in on him are the Heat, Denver, Memphis, and OKC. Obviously, there are other teams that could get involved, but it’s hard to say for sure what a package would look like during the season
Kendrick Nunn/Tyler Herro, Kelly Olynyk, Andre Iguodala, KZ Okpala, and potentially their 1-2 draft picks they can move
for Beal, Isaac Bonga, Troy Brown jr, and Moritz Wagner
If after February 6, that would give the Heat more options, potentially to include Avery Bradley and Meyers Leonard instead of Iguodala, but if the Heat were to make a deal for Beal, I would assume it would have to look somewhat like this to get it done financially
I really thought Denver was going to move for him last year before the season, before people realized Gary Harris was declining, and while they still had Beasley. I doubt they would move Porter in a deal. It would likely be more like Gary Harris, Barton, Nnaji, RJ Hampton, and multiple picks for Beal, Bonga, and Brown jr
Philly could theoretically do it, but it would take a big roster turnover to match salaries, and they probably have to include at least an extra asset for Washington to take on Tobias Harris, although theoretically they could potentially do some sort of 3 team deal to accommodate that. It would be something like Harris, Shake Milton, thybulle, isaiah joe, terrance ferguson, Poirier, and a couple of picks for Beal, Bonga, Brown jr, Ish Smith, and Moritz Wagner
Charlotte should be in the conversation too – they could ship out Rozier, Bridges, and Washington + 1sts, including the 2023 1st rounder that every team covets.
None of Rozier, Bridges, or Washington is likely to be the All-Star that Beal is, but Bridges and Washington have a ton of upside. And that 2023 draft is going to be historically good.
“Projected” to be historically good. Before we start making comparisons to 1996 or 2003, just remember that anything can happen between now and then.
Sure. But the odds that draft is normal are low. Worst case, it’s above-average.
Fair point. You tend to be a little more level headed than most on here, but I just wanted to point out that things aren’t always as they seem two years out.
The way it’s going for Wizards. Moving Beal now could be the wise move. Going full rebuild, move Westbrook too. I just think best place for Beal is in Miami. Not too many teams can make a deal for Beal. Maybe NO can get him in a three way. Using their picks, Bledsoe, Lonzo, JJ, Hayes. Wizards could load up on picks.
NO Could even go for for Westbrook and just roll the dice. Adams, Lonzo, #1 pick could do it. Personally I like this one. But it would take big ones for NO.
My guess is that the Wiz GM won’t discuss trades until Beal requests it. It’s an about-face on everything he’s done since being hired. If he has to, I guess he will, but it will be a tooth extraction for the team getting him.
I wonder if Simmons, the two firsts that the Sixers could offer, pick swaps, and Maxey gets a deal done. Maybe throw in Thybulle if it is close.
No, loud and clear from Philly!
Ya that’s a good question…I’d imagine Morey has several spreadsheets indicating Beal’s shooting is more important than Simmon’s youth.
Still, that’s the kind of decision that gets people fired a year later. Hard to say.
Kristaps + every future 1st + swap for Beal and I’ll change my name to DONCIC MVP, BEAL, AND JAMES JOHNSON 69
Why didn’t the Nets trade for Beal instead of Harden. If I’m Philadelphia trade Simmons for Beal. Does Dallas trade KP for Beal that’s possible. I would love Beal on Knicks but they don’t have the pieces and I’m not trading RJ. Everyone is available.
Harden is friends with Durant.
For starters Harden is better.
If I am Philly (I kinda am ) there is no way I trade Ben for Beal. Beal is a better shooter/scorer but Ben is IMO the better player, the younger player and….nope that’s enough…No way I trade Ben for Beal
Because Fertitta never called Morey back. Don’t you read HoopsRumors? :)
Would love the Clippers to trade for him but realistically don’t think the pieces are there unless it’s a three team deal.
Beal for kcp, kuzma, schroder, plus picks.
Enough with LBJ Winning. Teams need to stop helping him out. I must be the only one who doesn’t want him in the Finals again.