NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal Says He Wants To Finish His Career With Washington Wizards
Even as his team has struggled in recent years and his name has been bandied about in trade rumors, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has reaffirmed his desire to remain in America’s capital city. The two-time All-Star and No. 3 overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft made his feelings on the subject known during an appearance on the podcast On the Road with Buck & Phil, which went live on Friday, October 16.
When asked how he would feel about remaining in Washington, D.C., for the duration of his playing career, Beal didn’t hesitate to express it would mean a great deal to him.
“That would mean the world, man,” he said.
“I’m a loyal guy. I want to be here. I’m here. I’ve signed my extension. And that will mean the world to me. That, honestly, would you know, being able to finish your career in one place? You know, you don’t see that in today’s game.”
Beal has spent his entire eight-year career with the Wizards, who have achieved varying levels of success over that span. During his rookie season, the club struggled to a 29-53 finish, and it similarly scuffled throughout the pandemic-shorted 2019-20 campaign, logging a 25-47 mark and failing to qualify for postseason play for the second straight year. However, the Wizards previously made the playoffs four times in five seasons, from 2014 to 2018, and won their division in 2016-17.
Through the ups and down, Beal has consistently continued to evolve in D.C., becoming the face of his franchise in the absence of oft-injured floor general and multi-time All-Star John Wall.
This past season may have been his best yet, as Beal averaged 30.5 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per contest, while boasting an effective field goal percentage well over 50, per Basketball Reference.
Nevertheless, Beal’s status with the organization has been questioned by basketball pundits and fans alike in recent years. As relayed by NBC Sports, the 27-year-old recently purchased a $6.8 million home in Los Angeles. That, combined with the fact that he was actually with L.A. Clippers forward Paul George — who is a close friend of the sharpshooter — in 2019 when the latter was dealt to the Clippers, has provided fertile ground for discussion about a potential move to Southern California.
As shared by The Inquisitr, Beal’s name is included in hypothetical trades involving a myriad of NBA teams on a regular basis. Earlier this week, Bleacher Report‘s Preston Ellis mused about Beal joining the Denver Nuggets. Just a few days before that, BR‘s Greg Swartz proposed a hypothetical deal that would see Beal shipped off to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
