Earlier in the 2018-19 NBA season, rumors and speculations have been swirling that the Washington Wizards are planning to make a huge roster shakeup before the February NBA trade deadline. Despite having the explosive backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards don’t look like the team that is determined to replace the Cleveland Cavaliers as the new ruler of the Eastern Conference this season.
After John Wall suffered a season-ending injury, most people believe that the Wizards are heading into an inevitable rebuild. If they decide to take a different route, trading Bradley Beal for assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process makes a lot of sense. One of the NBA teams who could express interest in acquiring Beal is the Philadephia 76ers.
The acquisition of Jimmy Butler has undeniably improved the Sixers’ performance on both ends of the floor, but it also exposed one of their major weaknesses – floor spacing. With his inability to knock down shots from beyond the arc, Zach Lowe of ESPN revealed that there have been calls around the league to trade Ben Simmons for shooters. If the Sixers will really consider trading the former No. 1 overall pick, Lowe mentioned Bradley Beal as a potential trade target.
The Raptors got 41 points from Kawhi Leonard to overcome Bradley Beal’s 43-point triple-double and edge the Wizards in two thrilling overtimes. https://t.co/KspD27wpIj
— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) January 13, 2019
Bradley Beal will give the Sixers a legitimate NBA superstar that could help them improve their three-point shooting. This season, the 25-year-old shooting guard is averaging 24.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals on 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 35.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. However, in a potential deal, Lowe opened up the possibility that the Sixers could demand more in return from the Wizards.
“Beal would not represent enough return for Philly. He’s three years older than Simmons, two years from his third contract. Simmons is on his rookie deal. Philly would demand more, and Washington would get queasy. You run into this valuation disconnect again and again.”
If the Wizards decide to undergo a full-scale rebuild, trading Bradley Beal for Ben Simmons is a no-brainer. Simmons has shown lots of superstar potentials since he entered the league, and he has been frequently compared to the best basketball player on the planet, LeBron James. However, it will be better for them to pass on the deal if the Sixers will demand more valuable trade assets in exchange for Simmons.
As of now, it remains unknown if the Sixers and the Wizards have plans to engage in a trade negotiation involving Bradley Beal and Ben Simmons. Expect more rumors to circulate before the February NBA trade deadline.
