NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal Gaining More Trade Interest Than John Wall, According To ‘ESPN’ Analyst
The Washington Wizards are on the verge of a huge roster shakeup after struggling earlier in the 2018-19 NBA season. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Wizards have made every player on their roster, including John Wall and Bradley Beal, available in trade discussions.
In a recent appearance on The Woj Pod, Wojnarowski discussed the Wizards’ current situation with former Brooklyn Nets Assistant General Manager and now ESPN insider Bobby Marks. Wojnarowski believes that the Wizards could receive valuable trade assets from trading either of their star guards, but he thinks Bradley Beal has a much “broader market” than John Wall.
“I think the Bradley Beal situation we’ll monitor,” Wojnarowski said, as transcribed by Real GM. “There’s very few teams who wouldn’t be interested in Bradley Beal. The contract. The player. The age. 25 years old. His skill set. Shooting threes. I know Washington has fielded a lot of calls since last week. John Wall is a very different situation. You can count on one hand, and probably with just a couple of fingers places that really might have interest in taking his contract on and what it all means to bring him in.”
Despite the team’s struggle, John Wall and Bradley Beal are still posting impressive statistics this season. Wall is currently averaging 20.9 points, 8.1 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks on 44.5 percent shooting from the field and 32.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc, while Beal is averaging 21.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals on 45.5 percent shooting from the field and 32.8 percent shooting from the three-point range. However, aside from being older, what makes Wall less attractive than Beal on the trade market is his massive contract extension.
Blame John Wall? Bradley Beal? Head coach Scott Brooks?
No, the Wizards' biggest problem is the architect of this huge mess, writes @SeanDeveney: https://t.co/yx08GlmC0C pic.twitter.com/RsB1nzeSyD
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) November 26, 2018
When the 2018-19 NBA season is over, John Wall’s four-year, $169.3 million contract extension will kick in which will cover a huge chunk of any interested team’s salary cap space. This will affect their ability to further improve their roster through free agency until the summer of 2022, provided that Wall decides to exercise his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. Wall is undeniably a good player, but adding him doesn’t instantly guarantee an NBA championship title.
Unlike John Wall, Bradley Beal has a much friendly deal, younger, and a better three-point shooter. Wojnarowski believes that the Wizards can get the ideal trade package when they decide to part ways with Beal. As of now, there is no official confirmation if there is an ongoing negotiation involving Beal or Wall. Expect more rumors to circulate before the February NBA trade deadline.
