After failing to reach the Eastern Conference Playoffs last season, rumors started to circulate around All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal and his future with the Washington Wizards. The Wizards tried to address the rumors surrounding Beal by offering him a three-year, $111 million massive contract extension. Unfortunately, as of now, Beal remains undecided whether he will be signing the contract extension before the October 21 deadline or not.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald , a person close to Beal said that he would be “surprised” if the All-Star shooting guard decides to sign a contract extension with the Wizards before the deadline. Beal hasn’t shown any indication that he’s no longer happy in Washington but before inking a new contract, he first wants to see how the Wizards will perform in the 2019-20 NBA season.
“A source close to Beal said he would be surprised if Beal accepts the extension offer by the Oct. 21 deadline and instead expects him to see how things go with the Wizards this season before making any decisions on his future. Beal — who feels some measure of loyalty to the Wizards, according to the associate — has not given the Wizards any indication that he wants to leave, and the Wizards would not consider making him available in trade talks unless it becomes clear to them that they would lose him in free agency in 2021.”
Bradley Beal may have said on numerous occasions about his desire to finish his career in Washington, but he also made it clear that he wants to be part of a team that has a legitimate chance of contending for the NBA championship. The Wizards may have made some roster upgrades in the 2019 NBA offseason but with John Wall expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season recovering from an injury, it remains a big question mark if Washington can even earn a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Suffering another huge disappointment will likely force Beal to reevaluate his future in Washington. The source close to Beal who spoke to the Miami Herald revealed that if the All-Star shooting guard enters the free agency market in the summer of 2021, three NBA teams are expected to receive strong considerations. These include the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Miami Heat.
It’s not a surprise why Beal reportedly considers the Lakers, Clippers, and the Heat as his preferred landing spots in the 2021 NBA free agency period. Aside from their capability to create enough salary-cap space to give him a decent contract, all three teams are in a much better situation than the Wizards. The Lakers and the Clippers are currently among the top favorites to win the 2020 NBA championship, while the Heat put themselves in a win-now mode with the acquisition of Jimmy Butler this summer.
If the Wizards feel that they don’t have a chance of re-signing Bradley Beal, there is a strong chance they would make him available on the trade market than risk losing him in the summer of 2021 as an unrestricted free agent without getting anything in return.