It’s no secret the Washington Wizards are one of the NBA’s most dysfunctional organizations right now, making the team’s reported interest in hitting the reset button all the more logical as the regular season’s quarter-mark approaches.
As it currently stands, the Wizards have limped to a sub-.500 record and sit outside of the playoff picture in what’s proven to be a highly competitive Eastern Conference.
Bradley Beal’s elite shooting touch and off-ball skill makes him Washington’s best player to build around. Considering John Wall’s sizeable contract, Beal also happens to be the team’s most valuable trade chip (by far).
Washington could garner a king’s ransom for Beal’s services, so without further ado, let’s look at which teams the all-star shooting guard would fit best on.
Boston Celtics
Another team immersed in some early-season dysfunction — although not nearly to the extent the Wizards are — Boston has failed to live up to pre-season projections pegging them as the East’s top club. The Celtics have too many players deserving of significant playing time, but only 48 minutes per game to distribute the wealth. With a wealth of talent and only so many roles to occupy within the team’s rotation, shipping off some high-potential players to Washington in exchange for another all-star talent in Beal could be on Boston general manager Danny Ainge’s to-do list.
Considering the lack of leverage Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld has now that his team’s plan to sell off its stars is public knowledge, obtaining a package of this nature could prove to be one of the best available.
Terry Rozier, a point guard oozing with potential and yearning for increased playing time, or a young up-and-coming wing like Jaylen Brown plus a first-round pick could be enough for Washington to say ‘yes’ to a hypothetical blockbuster. Even if the Celtics were to part ways with a player of Rozier or Brown’s pedigree, Ainge would still have numerous future assets remaining in his toolbox.
The one counter: If Boston plans to be in on the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, moving a coveted trade chip in Rozier or Brown could hinder its chances of acquiring one of the league’s few truly elite talents. With that said, Boston’s stash of draft picks and depth still could wind up as the most appealing package if New Orleans elects to move Davis, even without Rozier or Brown on the roster.
If Beal winds up in Celtic green, the team could very well end up as the East’s best team by season’s end.
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Los Angeles Lakers
It’s long been speculated Lakers president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka have their eyes set on July 2019, when Los Angeles will have the flexibility of offering two maximum-salary slots to marquee free agents. Here’s a thought: Why not consider acquiring an all-star during the season when the opportunity presents itself, rather than gamble this summer and potentially fall short of landing two prized talents?
The Lakers have enough appealing young talent to send the Wizards’ way, whether it be Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart or even Lonzo Ball, while adding Beal to the fold would raise Los Angeles’ ceiling by providing LeBron James yet another formidable sidekick to play alongside.
James, one of the best passers in NBA history, would welcome the opportunity to feed a shooter of Beal’s stature clean looks game-in and game-out. The 25-year-old’s game would mesh perfectly with Los Angeles’ high-octane offence, and with both stars (Beal and James) under contract for the next few seasons, a skilled one-two punch of that calibre could help Johnson and Pelinka in their bid to lure over a third star this summer.
Philadelphia 76ers
While this landing spot feels unlikely considering Philadelphia just landed Jimmy Butler from Minnesota, this trade would vault the 76ers even higher up the echelon of Eastern Conference contenders. Just the thought of a closing lineup featuring Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Bradley Beal, Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid would trigger nightmares for opposing league executives on an uncomfortably regular basis. Acquiring Beal also improves Philadelphia’s perimeter shooting, the team’s most glaring weakness.
If Philadelphia wants to land Beal, notable future assets will have to head back to Washington, which is where potential negotiations could fall through.
Markelle Fultz’s trade value is less than ideal right now, with the 2017 No. 1 overall pick immersed in quite the conundrum. A mysterious shoulder injury — or potentially, a severe case of the yips — coupled with reports of the former University of Washington standout wanting out of Philadelphia has the league and those who follow it confused to say the least. There’s still time for the 20-year-old to turn around his career given he’s only a sophomore, but whether Washington wants to gamble on the enigma could make or break a potential deal.
Aside from Fultz, the 76ers could dangle the No. 16 pick in last summer’s draft Zhaire Smith in an offer, or even include Miami’s 2021 unprotected first-round pick, a potentially lucrative asset considering the one-and-done rule could be nixed by the time the 2021 draft rolls around.
Charlotte Hornets
The extreme dark horse team on this list, Charlotte is reportedly interested in acquiring Beal to team up with all-star point guard Kemba Walker.
A Walker-Beal pairing would be intriguing, but giving up the depth and young prospects Washington would surely ask for in return may counter-act the potential boost of Beal’s arrival.
The Hornets do have some intriguing prospects to offer, including Malik Monk, Miles Bridges and Jeremy Lamb, but finding a way to match salaries in a deal could prove problematic. Given the direction Washington plans to head in, acquiring a player with a bloated contract like Nicolas Batum in a deal feels like a stretch.
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