NBA Trade Rumors: Bradley Beal Could Form ‘Legitimate Big Three’ With Jimmy Butler And Bam Adebayo In Miami
In the past few months, the Washington Wizards have been telling everyone in the league that they have no intention of trading All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal and undergoing a full-scale rebuild. However, without a clear path to title contention, most people still expect Beal to follow the footsteps of other NBA superstars and demand a trade from the Wizards. One of the teams closely monitoring Beal’s situation in Washington is the Miami Heat.
In his recent article, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report included the Beal-to-Heat blockbuster deal on his list of realistic offseason trades NBA fan bases won’t see coming this fall. The Heat may be planning to chase a legitimate superstar in the 2021 free agency. However, if Beal officially becomes available on the trade market after the 2019-20 NBA season, it won’t be a surprise if team president Pat Riley immediately makes a call to the Wizards’ front office. As Buckley noted, the successful acquisition of Beal would enable the Heat to form a “legitimate Big Three” with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
“Miami’s wait-for-2021 plan is a good one — unless a star player becomes available now. Slotting Beal alongside Jimmy Butler (who turns 31 in September) and Bam Adebayo gives Miami a legitimate Big Three, and this doesn’t deplete all of the supporting cast. Losing Herro and Robinson stings, but chances are neither will become the player Beal is right now. If the Heat handle the rest of their roster right, they can contend for the crown as soon as next season. With Pat Riley’s 75th birthday behind him, it’s tough to see the organization passing up a chance to compete at a level that high.”
Beal may not be on the same level as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and James Harden, but he would still be an incredible addition to the Heat. Beal would give the Heat an All-Star caliber shooting guard and a very reliable option on the offensive end of the floor. This season, the 27-year-old shooting guard is averaging 30.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The potential arrival of Beal in Miami could dramatically change the Heat’s fate in the 2020-21 season. Pairing him with Butler and Adebayo would boost the Heat’s chances of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and winning a championship title.
Bringing a player as talented as Beal to Miami comes with a huge price. In the proposed trade scenario, Buckley suggested that the Heat could offer a trade package that includes Andre Iguodala, Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson to the Wizards in exchange for Beal. To further convince the Wizards to engage in a blockbuster deal, the Heat may also need to add a couple of future draft picks to the package.
