Knicks Could Sacrifice RJ Barrett To Acquire Bradley Beal From Wizards This Summer

Once they see Beal's name on the trading block, several teams who are in dire need of additional star power on their roster are expected to give the Wizards' front office an immediate call. According to Kyle Daubs of Fadeaway World, one of the potential suitors of Beal on the trade market is the New York Knicks. Despite being a young team, the Knicks have managed to establish an impressive performance in the 2020-21 NBA season.

However, their performance in the 2021 NBA Playoffs proved that they couldn't fully rely on Julius Randle as their main guy. To have a realistic chance of contending for the NBA championship title next year, adding a superstar like Beal should be a must for the Knicks.

Targeting a player of Beal's caliber comes with a huge price and would likely require any potential suitor to pay the king's ransom. For the Knicks, Daubs believes that they would have to sacrifice RJ Barrett in order to convince the Wizards to send Beal to New York in the 2021 offseason.

In the proposed trade scenario, the Knicks would be sending a package that includes Barrett, Frank Ntilikina, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick to the Wizards in exchange for Beal.

Trading Barrett after an impressive sophomore year would be a difficult decision for the Knicks. However, Daubs thinks that it's the type of move that they should be willing to make if they want to take the team to the next level next year.

"To receive premier scoring, it will come at a cost, which includes a potential rising All-Star in RJ Barrett. Toppin had a ceiling of Taj Gibson one day, while Quickley had an impressive rookie season. These role players are nice and all, but Beal is a 30-point scorer and the league’s runner-up in the scoring race. The defense may have to give a little, but Thibodeau always finds a way to get the most out of whatever players he has on his roster."

"To receive premier scoring, it will come at a cost, which includes a potential rising All-Star in RJ Barrett. Toppin had a ceiling of Taj Gibson one day, while Quickley had an impressive rookie season. These role players are nice and all, but Beal is a 30-point scorer and the league’s runner-up in the scoring race. The defense may have to give a little, but Thibodeau always finds a way to get the most out of whatever players he has on his roster."

Beal would be an incredible addition to the Knicks. Pairing him with Randle would help the Knicks improve their offensive efficiency that currently ranks 22nd in the league, scoring 108.2 points per 100 possessions, per ESPN. He would give them a prolific scorer, on-court facilitator, and an elite three-pointer.

This season, Beal averaged 31.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. With his ability to excel in an off-ball capacity, Beal would be a perfect fit alongside Randle next season.