Report: Wizards still not making Bradley Beal available via trade

Bradley Beal has yet to make a decision on whether or not he will sign the three-year, $111 million max extension the Washington Wizards offered him this summer, but the team reportedly has no plan to part ways with the two-time All-Star even if he chooses not to.

Beal has until Oct. 21 to either accept or decline the extension offer, and he will still have two years remaining on his current contract even if he turns it down. With John Wall expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles, there has been talk that the Wizards could dangle Beal in trade talks since they will have trouble contending. While many teams would be interested, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported this week that Washington still has not made Beal available.

Even if the Wizards aren’t going to turn heads in the Eastern Conference next year, Beal just turned 26 and is the type of player a franchise should build around. They already have Wall signed to a supermax contract, however, and he certainly isn’t going to generate trade interest. That’s why many have been convinced the Wizards will eventually shop Beal, but that may be more likely to happen at the trade deadline next season or a year from now.

With Wall not expected to play next season, Wizards coach Scott Brooks has already made a bold prediction for Beal. The former No. 3 overall pick averaged 25.6 points, 5.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game last season, and he has a legitimate chance to improve upon those numbers.