Bradley Beal has been the subject of trade rumors this summer, and while nothing is in the offing, it appears there may be some reason to question the guard’s future with the Washington Wizards.
Beal becomes eligible to sign a three-year, $111 million extension on July 26, three years since signing his max deal. The Wizards plan to offer it, but according to Candace Buckner of the Washington Post, the extension is not viewed as a sure thing around the league. In fact, there is a growing sense from some within the NBA that Beal may not remain a Wizard for life.
“He’s out of there,” one NBA source told Buckner.
The story adds that Beal may have questions about the team’s roster, as well as the front office situation. General manager Ernie Grunfeld was fired by the Wizards at the start of April, and the team has not formally filled the role of president since his dismissal.
There likely won’t be much further movement on this until Beal makes a decision on the contract offer, and he can’t do that until it’s on the table. It’s also worth noting that Beal could wait a year and put himself in line for a supermax deal if he can make an All-NBA team in 2019-20. That will also give him a chance to study the organization’s direction and determine whether he wants to stick around or perhaps seek opportunity elsewhere.
