NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal Trade Has Been Discussed by Kings, Wizards
June 15, 2023
The Miami Heat have competition in setting up a blockbuster trade for the Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal.
The Wizards have discussed a trade involving Beal with the Sacramento Kings, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick.
Shams Charania @ShamsCharaniaAnother team that's had Bradley Beal trade talks with the Wizards: The Kings, sources tell me and <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_amick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sam_amick</a>. It's believed Beal would consider Sacramento given his no-trade clause, but right now there does not appear a clear pathway for the two sides.
Beal, who turns 30 later this month, averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in his 11th campaign with the Wizards in 2022-23.
Marc Stein reported on Substack Thursday that the Miami Heat are the favorite to grab Beal as the Wizards look at beginning a rebuild. Beal has a full no-trade clause on his contract, so he gets a say in where he goes.
Having the option to dictate where you are traded is a rarity in the NBA. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Beal is just the 10th player to sign a contract with a no-trade clause. The rest of the list consists of LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and John Stockton.
The Athletic's Shams Charania and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that the Wizards would work with Beal and his agent to explore possible trades.
Beal has seen individual success since joining Washington in 2012. He is a three-time All-Star, and his career 22.1 points per game ranks 16th among active players.
The Wizards, however, have not excelled as a team. The squad missed the playoffs six times over that span, continuing a history of early postseason exits dating back to 1980. A trade now could benefit both sides, sending Beal to a competitive playoff team while helping the Wizards rebuild without the limitation of a $46.7 million cap hit.
The appeal of the Miami Heat, which just made the NBA finals, is clear for a player looking for a deep playoff run. Would Beal also consider Sacramento, which lost in the first round this year after a 17-year-long postseason drought?
On the other hand, is there room for Beal on the Sacramento roster? The Kings put together one of the best offenses in the league last season without a player as expensive as Beal, and they already have a veteran player leading the charge in De'Aaron Fox.
Even if this rumor does not materialize as a trade, it will serve as an important signal from the Kings. Whichever team grabs Beal will undoubtedly consider themselves in win-now mode. By signaling interest, Sacramento is letting the NBA know this team plans to return to the playoff picture in 2024.