Bradley Beal is an All-Star level player, there is no doubt about the quality he brings to the court. Yet, he has not found the success he would like in the Playoffs.
The Washington Wizards drafted Beal third overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. Since then, Beal, along with fellow Wizard John Wall, has brought the team out of a slump.
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Bradley and Wall took the Wizards to their first Playoffs in 6 years, and have made them a competitor in the Eastern Conference. But Beal may be looking for a new home after a lack of major success in the postseason.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN hypothesized a possible trade option for Beal, with him decreeing the Golden State Warriors to be in the best position.
He suggested that Andrew Wiggins, the second overall pick from this year’s draft and the second-round pick for the 2021 draft, will be enough to see Beal come to the Warriors. But should Beal make the jump?
Fit on the court
Should this trade be pulled off, the first question that will be asked is about Beal’s position. Beal is a shooting guard, as is Klay Thompson.
Thompson is one of the most important players in the history of the Warriors. Thompson signed a contract extension with the Warriors last season and has been out of action due to an injury that he sustained in the 2019 NBA Finals. He will be coming back ready to take the Warriors to the promised land.
Having two highly-rated players in the same position could cause major problems for Head Coach Steve Kerr. The Warriors have missed front-court players ever since Kevin Durant’s departure in the off-season of 2019.
Bringing another high-quality back-court player could lead to a series of problems like compromised playing time and lack of chemistry within the team.
Bradley Beal injury prone?
Bradley Beal has suffered his fair share of injuries throughout his career. After a long career in the NBA, Beal has completed only 2 full seasons.
With concerns about Curry and Thompson’s long-term health, the last thing the Warriors need is another possible injury scare.
While Beal has worked hard to fight off the ‘injury-prone’ label over the past few years, his time on the sidelines due to a shoulder injury this season has not done a lot of good to enhance that narrative.
Compromised cap space
The Warriors will be looking to bring in another superstar to their franchise during next summer’s off-season. The free-agent class from next season truly reads like an All-Star team.
Players such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the like will be ripe for the taking. They will not be able to sign any of their free-agent targets if they bring Beal into the team.
Beal is a superstar and is on a superstar’s contract. Absorbing his contract in a sign-and-trade (possibly) would rule out any chance the Warriors have of signing ‘The Greek Freak’.
No place like home
Beal came forward recently and said that he was not looking to leave in a bid to prove his loyalty to the Washington Wizards. The D.C faithful can breathe a sigh of relief; however, beware that these feelings don’t last forever.
Beal could change his mind and demand a trade at the drop of a hat. Should that happen, the Warriors, despite being best placed to get him, should not make a move for Beal. It just wouldn’t be a smart fit.
