1:51pm: The Heat are trying to acquire Beal without moving Herro, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) says the package discussed by Miami would be built around Lowry and draft assets, with Robinson or Oladipo also included for salary matching.
The Wizards appear to be trying to avoid taking back long-term money, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. That suggests that a Suns offer would likely involve Paul rather than Ayton.
12:54pm: The Wizards are engaged in serious talks about a Bradley Beal trade with two separate suitors, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the Heat and Suns are in the mix for the star guard.
Miami has long been viewed as a potential landing spot for Beal if he’s dealt, whereas Phoenix is more of a newcomer to the sweepstakes. Charania refers to the Heat and Suns as “finalists” for Beal, though it’s unclear if the Wizards are fully committed to moving forward on a trade or whether other clubs will still have a chance to get involved.
As first reported on Wednesday, Beal and the Wizards have begun to talk to one another about the possibility of a trade, with the team’s new front office – led by Michael Winger – considering the idea of resetting the roster. Any major changes in D.C. would almost certainly include moving Beal, who is owed nearly $208MM over the next four years.
Because Beal has a full no-trade clause, he has a significant amount of control over not only his eventual landing spot but the return the Wizards receive for him, since he could veto a deal if he thinks his new team is giving up too much. Beal’s camp – including agent Mark Bartelstein – has reportedly been granted permission by the Wizards to speak to potential suitors.
Beal’s current cap hit is $43.3MM and that number will increase to $46.7MM in 2023/24, so substantial outgoing salary will be required to match that figure and meet the NBA’s trade rules.
A Heat trade for Beal would likely start with either Tyler Herro or Kyle Lowry. Herro will make $27MM next season in the first year of his four-year rookie scale extension, while Lowry will be on a $29.7MM expiring contract. Duncan Robinson ($18.2MM), Victor Oladipo ($9.5MM), and Caleb Martin ($6.8MM) are among the other possible trade candidates for the Heat, who have up to three first-round picks available, including this year’s No. 18 selection.
As for the Suns, it’s safe to assume Kevin Durant and Devin Booker wouldn’t be included in an offer for Beal. That means a proposal would have to start with either Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton, depending on whether Washington would prioritize expiring salary (Paul) or a young building block who is under contract for multiple years (Ayton). Paul has a partially guaranteed $30.8MM salary for 2023/24 without any guaranteed money owed to him beyond next season, while Ayton will make $102MM over the next three years.
Landry Shamet ($10.3MM) and Cameron Payne ($6.5MM) are other movable Suns players for matching purposes, though Phoenix doesn’t have much to offer in the way of future draft picks after sending four first-rounders to Brooklyn for Durant in February. The Suns would only be able to sweeten an offer with second-round picks or with a first-round swap in 2024 and/or 2026.
Both the Heat (with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo) and the Suns entered the offseason expected to scour the trade market for impact players capable of complementing their star duos. The two teams project to be taxpayers going forward, so their flexibility to make major moves may be limited after the 2023/24 league year as more rules from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement take effect.
The Heat have also been linked to Damian Lillard, though there’s no indication yet that he’ll be available this summer. The Suns are said to have some interest in Malcolm Brogdon and John Collins, among others.
Dun Dun Duhhhhhhhhhh!
Unless the Suns would plan to use Beal at PG, I don’t understand the fit. Devin Booker is already a better version of Beal. imo, they’re better off keeping Ayton.
Beal & Book can (obviously) play together. In fact that would arguably be the best backcourt in the league
I agree Sankara. It’s all positionless basketball today anyway. Both guys can initiate the offense as well as Durant.
Beal has played point in the past, so has Booker.
There is no fit and it has zero to do with PG imo
Book and KD are 2 of the most efficient scorers in the league…why would they want another scorer?
They need some 3 and D wings and a brain/heart transplant from Lawndale to Ayton to begin
Jevon Carter would be a ice fit at PG on the TPMLE and actually supply some defense. Diop feom SAS would be a nice wing piece on the cheap to do the dirty work…They are basically going to need some solid vet mins who play D and can knock down and open shot, not Bradley Beal
Sounds like the plot to ‘Get Out’. Put the white man’s brain in a black man’s body… smh
GSW went back-to-back in ‘17-‘18 with 3 of the greatest scorers of all time in the starting lineup. KD/Book/Beal won’t have a problem finding shots for all 3…
@rct – I’m with ya. If anything I believe it will create more problems for them – not enough shots (unless Durant plans on taking his 30 game sabbatical), weaker on defense, and a huge hole for rebounding. Not sure Beal is a good fit at the 3 on defense if he’s on the court with Booker and Durant at the same time.
Feels like ownership-driven nonsense. First KD, now Beal. All about getting the stars and ignoring things like fit, defense, etc.
I’m okay with it if they can get a replacement for Ayton by trading Paul or whatever gets that done…
Doesn’t even have to provide what Ayton does, just play some defense. (Hopefully better than Ayton)
With Beal, Durant or Paul its a health crap-shoot either way
Don’t see anything working with Suns. Just not enough assets, either picks or young players, to make it worthwhile. The salary match would have to be CP, whom the Wiz would just stretch or cut. But I could see the Heat for sure. Start with Lowry and Dipo to salary match, add a bunch of picks, stretch Lowry, and all of sudden you have the most cap room in the league and that’s SO valuable this year. Wiz could completely rework their roster around Porzingis and a ton of depth.
Neither of these teams make any sense for Beal. Both have players of similar skillset with similar deficiencies. Why give up assets, plus have him signed to that much of your cap, when you dont have a need for him…these feel like the leverage teams
Beal has a no trade clause in his contract so the Wiz don’t have any leverage. The Wiz probably decided to go on full rebuild. It’s not a matter of fit. It is what Beal wants.
I don’t think a new GM/TP floats the possibility of a rebuild, and then decides against it. You can do the opposite, talk win-now, and then make personnel moves like you’re rebuilding (because you are).
So, it looks like WSH has decided to rebuild. There’s a first time for everything. But that doesn’t mean they have to trade Beal right away. While Beal won’t get any younger from here, the time left on that contract of his will get shorter from here. Absent an injury, or his game completely falling apart, I don’t see his value going much lower.
I’m not a Beal fan, and would never pay or expect a DM or KD type package for him. But the so-called “Finalists” don’t have impressive trade assets for a rebuilding team.
Ain’t no team beating KD, Book, Beal
Haha, right.
lack of a bench cost them in the playoffs. With Beal they will have a starting 3 and nothing else.
And I’m trying to understand how any team with three max contracts—or anything approaching that—would remedy that. Just what would be available on the roster as a number of guys who can serve as big time pieces for a championship run?
Last 5 champs have all played D (Lal Tor Mil GSW Den)
Maybe in 2k that teams wins it all but they gonna have a tough time in real life
Zero chance Beal goes to Phoenix. They have no draft picks or young players.
Ayton is 24.
Suns have 2nd round picks (including #52 this year.)
No young players ? Did ayton die?
Nuggets
Lowry, Victor to Suns, picks to wizards, Beal to heat, Paul to Washington. Then heat look for a center. 6’8 bam needs to be PF. Hero start. Washington rebuild
Bam doesnt shoot well enough to play PF. I don’t understand why ppl keep saying he needs to change positions when they have made the finals 2x in the past 4 seasons. Miami is missing a legit PG not center.
Wld be nice if we can get paul and ayton for beal.
Lowry, Robinson and a couple picks for Beal
I predict Lowry and draft assets, with Robinson or Oladipo also included for salary matching
Now that I’ve looked at what draft assets Miami has, nah, I don’t think this works anymore. It’s basically just 18 this year. The other two available are so far in the future they’re valueless. I think this has to be a 3 team deal where Herro goes to a third team and that team sends some real draft capital to Wiz. Wiz seem uninterested in guys on multi-year deals, and I think they’re right about that. Get a bunch of good picks and clear salary, then troll everybody desperate to dump salary next off-season when you have max cap space.
I predicted it first
Where’s my money?
Suns don’t need Beal …. get a clue.
Must you swallow it all.
Suns are just throwing stories out there. To motivate their own team. Like the Bucks. They just need to stay healthy. Suns can use depth not a big trade. They already gave up everything for KD. Wake up.
A healthy Suns team competes with Nuggets. They just need to add some depth.
Makes no sense for Wiz to move Beal now. While his value is low.
Suns were healthy for the Nuggets this year. Didn’t seem to do the trick. And KD’s not getting younger.
CP3 was injured and missed games 3-6 vs the Nuggets…………
Phx gets Beal
Washington gets CP3 + Expiring deals + 2 picks
Team 3 gets Ayton.
Youd have to find a real that really likes Ayton, is willing to give up a couple 1sts, and has expiring deals.
Knicks (upgrade over Robinson), Hornets, Nets (But they have Claxton), Clippers (But they have no picks), Magic (WCJ is cheap tho).
Could be a cheaper consolation prize for NYK tho. Hornets haven’t had decent a center in a while, I think Al Jefferson was the only respectable one they’ve had in the last decade. Everyone else has just been okay-ish.
I kinda like Nick Richards right now but hear the point on Cha/C
Id take Mitch’s contract straight up over Ayton’s tbh but I’m a touch bias as I’m never paying a C who isn’t elite and cant shoot the 3 over 20+ Mill
Thinking outside the box I wonder what Bos would think about Brogdon or Smart, Pritchard and Horford for DA-Big career Horford fan but he looks to have lost a
sizable step last year