Bradley Beal’s future with the Washington Wizards is very much up in the air. Although he has consistently expressed a desire to remain with the team that drafted him, continued losing seasons have taken a toll on all parties involved.
As things stand, Beal has a $36 million player option for 2022-23. The Wizards can offer him the most money out of any other squad, but not the best circumstances.
Should Beal decide that he wants to join a situation more conducive to winning, he has no shortage of options. The Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and many others have been linked to him in recent years.
That said – one team in particular is really targeting Beal if he opts to leave D.C.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Miami Heat have very real interest in Beal.
“The Heat are seen as a legitimate suitor for Beal should he elect to seek a new home, multiple sources said. The Heat have a veteran, championship-ready core in Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo and P.J. Tucker, as well as talented young players in Tyler Herro, Max Strus and Caleb Martin. Miami would need to complete a sign-and-trade to acquire Beal,” he wrote.
“Overall, teams will continue to keep an eye on the Heat as a legitimate threat to add talent in the years to come.”
There was a period of time when it looked like the Wizards might trade Beal, but ultimately the asking price they demanded for him was too high. Now he may walk for nothing.
A gamechanger for college basketball. https://t.co/WtFvJ5unth
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Joel Embiid actually had Beal in mind as his first choice for teammate before getting James Harden instead, so clearly the desire to pair up with him is there.
Where Beal ends up next year will be one of the biggest and most impactful storylines in the NBA.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
