NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal To 76ers For Trade Package Centered On Markelle Fultz, ‘NBC Sports’ Suggests
The Washington Wizards are currently on the verge of a huge roster shakeup and have reportedly made every player on their roster, including John Wall and Bradley Beal, available in trade discussions, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. One of the NBA teams who could express a strong interest in engaging in a blockbuster trade deal with the Wizards is the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers entered the 2018-19 NBA season as one of the favorites to dominate the LeBron James-less Eastern Conference. To strengthen their chance of beating Eastern Conference powerhouse teams like the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and the Milwaukee Bucks in a best-of-seven series, the 76ers traded Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second-round pick to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, it seems like the 76ers are not done yet in upgrading their roster.
According to Paul Hudrick of NBC Sports, the Sixers could explore a trade package including Markelle Fultz, Wilson Chandler, one of Zhaire Smith or Landry Shamet, and a 2021 first-round pick to acquire Bradley Beal from the Wizards.
“The actual compensation is going to be the other sticking point. Fultz and Chandler make the money match but you’d most certainly have to throw in the 2021 unprotected Miami first and possibly more, like Zhaire Smith or Landry Shamet. Chandler has value as an expiring contract and draft picks/young players will certainly appeal to an organization looking to blow things up. But then you have to wonder if Washington would have any actual interest in Fultz. Putting aside his struggles for a second, the Wizards still have John Wall.”
What should the Wizards do about John Wall and Bradley Beal?@brohrbach has some answers: https://t.co/jd1DN7Rcmf pic.twitter.com/q7gdR1xmZH
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) November 21, 2018
Bradley Beal will undeniably be a great addition to the 76ers, giving them a huge threat from beyond the arc. Beal will tremendously improve the 76ers’ three-point shooting percentage that currently ranks 21st in the league, per NBA.com. In the 17 games he has played this season, the 25-year-old shooting guard is averaging 21.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals on 45.5 percent shooting from the field and 33.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The combination of Beal, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid will be a huge headache to any team in the league on both ends of the floor.
However, as NBC Sports noted, the only way that the Wizards will accept the 76ers’ offer is if they also decide to move John Wall and undergo a full-scale rebuild. If the Wizards want to remain competitive, they will likely demand J.J. Redick in the deal instead of Markelle Fultz.
