NBA Free Agency: Washington Wizards Giving Bradley Beal $128 Million


After securing Scott Brooks as their new head coach, the Washington Wizards turned their focus on keeping their back court together. According to Sports Illustrated, the Wizards are signing Bradley Beal to a five-year contract to ensure that he remains with the franchise. They feel that he and John Wall are one of the best guard combos in the NBA.

To many, $128 million might seem like a lot of money for someone like Bradley Beal. However, with the salary cap rising to record proportions in the NBA, that amount is appropriate for a player of the stature of Beal.

A former third overall selection in the NBA Draft, Bradley Beal had a shortened season this past year because of a severe injury. However, the 23-year-old guard can still turn things around and remain healthy. Many believe that he is injury prone as he has missed games during every season that he has been in the National Basketball Association.

According to SB Nation, the Washington Wizards will hold off on officially signing the contract with Bradley Beal. Management is hoping to use the remaining salary cap space on other free agents before finalizing the deal with Beal. They’re hoping to stock up their roster so that they can return to the NBA Playoffs.

Bradley Beal averaged 17.4 points last season. However, since he is still young and developing his game, there’s a very good chance that Beal can score more than 20 points a game. That would help the Washington Wizards tremendously in their hopes of being a competitive team in the Eastern Conference.

Long considered one of the best shooters in the NBA, the return of Bradley Beal should help Scott Brooks formulate a very good offense for the Washington Wizards. It forces the defense to open up and make things easier for John Wall to penetrate into the lane.

John Wall [Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
One of the things that Scott Brooks will attempt to do with Bradley Beal is to prevent him from settling for mid-range jumpers too frequently. The Washington Wizards need Beal to attack the basket to make the offense more unpredictable.

According to Yahoo! Sports, the contract between Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards does not have any options included. The belief around the NBA was that Beal really was hoping for the security of a fifth year on his contract, so the Wizards had the best chance of signing him.

There could be a chance that John Wall might resent Bradley Beal and his new contract. Wall openly complained about the contract that the Detroit Pistons gave Reggie Jackson. Wall feels that he’s a much better player than Jackson. Friction between Wall and Beal could tear apart the Washington Wizards.

Scott Brooks [Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images]
With the new monster contract, Sporting News believes that there is now additional pressure on Bradley Beal. The talented guard has drawn comparisons to NBA legend Ray Allen, but he has yet to make the All-Star team.

Even though his resume is not the most impressive in the NBA, the Washington Wizards are willing to pay Bradley Beal because they feel that he has the potential to become something special. He’s already proven that he belongs in the league. Now, the Wizards need Beal to prove that he can become a game changer who can help them become dominant.

Most everyone in the NBA expected the Washington Wizards to sign Bradley Beal to a contract extension. The signing is not a surprise. While the money seems a bit much, Beal has a very good chance at living up to his team’s expectations.

[Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images]

Share this article: NBA Free Agency: Washington Wizards Giving Bradley Beal $128 Million
More from Inquisitr