NBA Rumors: Should The Wizards Explore Trading Bradley Beal For Anthony Davis Next Summer?
When Anthony Davis became officially available on the trade market, most people expected the New Orleans Pelicans to demand trade assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process. However, with Jrue Holiday still under contract until the 2021-22 NBA season, there is growing speculation that the Pelicans may also consider trading Davis for another superstar that could keep them a competitive team in the deep Western Conference.
One of the NBA teams who could engage in a superstar-for-superstar trade with the Pelicans in the 2019 NBA offseason is the Washington Wizards. The Wizards may not have the young players and future first-round picks that can beat the offers of the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, but Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes that the trade package centered on Bradley Beal could be enough to convince the Pelicans to send Anthony Davis to Washington.
In the proposed trade deal, the Wizards would trade Bradley Beal and Troy Brown Jr. to the Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine.
“While the Pelicans aren’t getting an established superstar in return for Davis, Beal is pretty close to the next-best thing. The 25-year-old has made two All-Star appearances and is posting personal bests in almost every category, including points (26.2), assists (5.6), steals (1.5) and player efficiency rating (21.0). That almost makes Beal untouchable, but the Wizards could soften that stance for a player of Davis’ ilk. Brown has barely broken an NBA sweat, but he still intrigues as a versatile 19-year-old with smarts and a sharp eye for passing.”
Is Bradley Beal all-NBA? According to his coach, teammates & certain local media members, yes he is.
But I talked with those who actually have a vote, and Beal has one big obstacle in his way toward joining the game's elite: the #Wizards' losing record.
https://t.co/W656dKLahh— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) March 17, 2019
Bradley Beal may not be able to replicate Anthony Davis’s performance on both ends of the floor, but he is still an incredible addition to the Pelicans. This season, Beal is averaging 25.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.5 steals on 47.5 percent shooting from the field, and 35.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The successful acquisition of Beal will enable Jrue Holiday to slide back to his normal position at point guard. At 25-years-old, Beal could be the centerpiece of the title-contending team that the Pelicans are planning to build in the post-Davis era.
Anthony Davis will give the Pelicans an All-Star-caliber center who can efficiently knock down shots from the three-point range. However, trading Bradley Beal for Davis is a very risky move for the Wizards, especially knowing that “The Brow” can become an unrestricted free agent in the 2020 NBA offseason. Despite his relationship with John Wall, it remains a big question mark if Davis is willing to spend his prime on a mediocre team like the Wizards.
