NBA Trade Rumors: Washington Wizards Reveal Asking Price For All-Star SG Bradley Beal
After struggling earlier in the 2018-19 NBA season, rumors and speculation started to swirl that the Washington Wizards were planning to make a huge roster shakeup before the February NBA trade deadline. The Wizards tried to save their season by trading for Trevor Ariza, but the veteran small forward hasn’t made much of an impact since his arrival in Washington.
To make things more complicated for the Wizards, they lost the face of the franchise, John Wall, to a season-ending injury. The Wizards are still left with two of their core players, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, Jr., but with their recent performances, they may even have a hard time earning a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. As of now, most people believe that it will be best for the Wizards to take a different route and undergo a rebuilding process.
After John Wall suffered an injury, trade rumors surrounding Bradley Beal started to heat up. Beal is currently considered as the Wizards’ best trade asset, and if NBA teams are really serious about adding the All-Star shooting guard to their roster, they should be willing to throw away valuable trade assets. On Twitter, Rob Beard, of the Detroit News, revealed that the Wizards’ asking price for Beal could include two future first-round picks and a young player.
“I’ve heard that the market for Bradley Beal could be something like two first-rounders, a young asset and another player. That’s the ante — just to get put the admin assistant to put the call through.”
It’s definitely not a surprise why the Wizards are demanding a huge return for Bradley Beal. Beal is only 25-years-old and won’t become an unrestricted free agent until 2021. This season, he’s averaging 23.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals on 47.1 percent shooting from the field, and 34.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
In the past months, Bradley Beal has been linked to several NBA teams who are in dire need of additional star power to boost their chance of contending for the NBA championship. These teams include the Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and the Los Angeles Lakers. After acquiring Jimmy Butler, the Sixers have a better chance of fully dominating the LeBron James-less Eastern Conference. However, the Sixers will need another superstar to join Butler, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid in the starting lineup to beat the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors in a best-of-seven series.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for the Pelicans as the rumor mill continues to circulate around Anthony Davis. Trading for a second superstar could help them convince Davis to sign a maximum contract extension next summer. Since the 2018 NBA offseason, the Lakers have been looking for a superstar to pair with LeBron James. The Lakers currently have a plethora of trade asset to engage in a blockbuster trade deal. To acquire Bradley Beal, the Lakers would need to include at least one of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart in the trade package that they would offer to the Wizards.
