The Washington Wizards should be patient with their decision on Bradley Beal
At 3-11, the Washington Wizards have the worst record in the NBA and have some big looming questions that they need to answer. The biggest revolving around star guard Bradley Beal and whether the team is going to trade him.
Even though Beal hasn’t really put any pressure on the Wizards, the clock is ticking on Washington. Beal could opt-out of the final year of his contract after next season and there’s no guarantee that he’d re-sign with the Wizards long-term.
With no hope of bouncing back, especially as Russell Westbrook continues to look like a shell of his former self, there’s a real chance that the Wizards finally come to the realization that they need to trade Beal in an attempt to set a foundation for a rebuild.
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The haul that they would get in return for Beal would put them in a healthy spot to begin a proper rebuild. Though, trading Beal is not something that should be rushed. Even though the Wizards are heading nowhere fast, the team shouldn’t trade Beal just to trade him.
As long as Beal doesn’t apply pressure on the Wizards, there’s a case to be made that Washington shouldn’t even think about moving their star guard until the offseason. Trying to trade him by the NBA Trade Deadline wouldn’t give Washington enough time to find the right deal.
The last thing Washington needs to do is couple one bad move with another – and that’s exactly what would happen if this team rushed to make a move, similarly to what transpired when they traded John Wall for Russell Westbrook during the offseason.
Beal is having the best year of his career thus far, averaging 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 48 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent shooting from 3-point range. He’s 27 and in the midst of the prime of his career.
After watching what the likes of Jrue Holiday and James Harden brought in for the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets, respectively, it wouldn’t be outrageous to believe that the Wizards could get even more.
Beal is better than Holiday and younger than Harden. If there is indeed an open bidding war for Bradley Beal, the Wizards will be able to clean up. But, it needs to be done in a timely manner.
The Washington Wizards may not be ready to trade Bradley Beal right now, and that’s OK. But the day will come when they come to that realization. Even if that comes before the NBA Trade Deadline, the Wizards must wait until the offseason to properly get the best potential return for their star guard.