The explosive backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal have helped the Washington Wizards make four appearances in the Eastern Conference Playoffs in the last five years. As of now, there is no doubt that Wall and Beal are two of the best guards in the league. Unfortunately, in their years of playing together, their only greatest achievement is reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals.
With LeBron James now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Wizards are aiming to fully dominate the Eastern Conference in the upcoming 2018-19 NBA season. This summer, they managed to upgrade their roster with the acquisitions of Dwight Howard, Jeff Green, and Austin Rivers. If things still don’t go as they expect, the Wizards may consider making a huge change on their team.
According to Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report , Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal “could facilitate a roster shakeup” if the Wizards fail to reach a higher level next season.
“Whether Beal will have interest in a new destination may depend on how the season starts in Washington. If the ball is moving, Wall looks healthy and Howard doesn’t gum up too many possessions with post-touch demands, the Wizards could get themselves on track to finish in the East’s top four. But if the franchise trend line is heading the other way, Beal could facilitate a roster shakeup that might benefit both parties. He’d get the chance to prove that his dynamic offensive game, which is highlighted by a useful-in-any-rotation jumper, translates to stardom without Wall around.”
John Wall and Bradley Beal both made big shots in the final minute to help Washington pick up their third straight win https://t.co/NfDDO5e6iW
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) October 11, 2018
If the Wizards realize that they don’t have the ability to compete for the NBA championship title, it will be best for them to part ways with one of their superstars. With John Wall still under contract until the 2022-23 NBA season, Bradley Beal will be the likely trade candidate. As Hughes noted, a trade will benefit both Beal and the Wizards.
Playing for another NBA team will give Bradley Beal the opportunity to prove that he can shine in the league even without John Wall. Moving out of Wall’s shadow could further help Beal turn into one of the best players in the NBA.
The Wizards will surely get a good return for Bradley Beal. He’s only 25 and missed just five games in the last two seasons. Aside from acquiring valuable trade assets, clearing Beal’s contract off the book will enable the Wizards to chase big name in the summer of 2019. The 2019 NBA free agency will be featuring several NBA superstars like Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, DeMarcus Cousins, and DeAndre Jordan.
