The situation between Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards is quickly growing untenable. Although the 27-year-old is saying all the right things about wanting to win with his current franchise, roster logistics make that impossible.
Beal is frustrated. His wife is frustrated. Everybody is frustrated.
Meanwhile, Washington was bad yesterday. It will be bad today. And tomorrow will be no different. So if Beal wants to win, he will need to go elsewhere.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been suggested as a potential option — but there is a better one available.
The Golden State Warriors.
As noted by Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer, a potential swap between Golden State and Washington makes a ton of sense.
“The points of contention would be how many other future first-rounders and pick swaps Golden State would have to include, and which salaries they would send to Washington to balance the deal,” he said.
“The only pick the Warriors can’t add is their 2021 first-rounder, which is already owed to the Thunder if it falls outside the top 20. The number of additional assets the Wizards could get would depend on what kind of deal they take.”
According to Tjarks, the three potential assets that could be utilized by the Warriors — along with the picks — in this situation are: Kelly Oubre Jr., Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ reaction to Jordyn Woods’ Buss It video speaks for itself.
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 26, 2021
Oubre was acquired this offseason with the expectation that he could replace Thompson to some degree, but he has failed miserably in that regard. Currently, he is averaging 12 points per game on 37.3 percent shooting from the field and 23.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He is extremely expendable, though it remains unclear why the Wizards would want him.
Wiggins is another option. Although he gets criticized frequently, he is actually in the midst of a decent year. So far this season he is averaging 17.8 points per game on 46.9 percent shooting.
Now we know what motivates Gronk to play so hard. https://t.co/xFnKnjoXQ4
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 24, 2021
Finally, Thompson is the piece Golden State likely least wants to move – but he has the most upside if you’re the Wizards. Presuming he gets fully healthy, he has the skills to be a legit star on any roster. Plus, he’s super easy to build around and a great overall human being.
Both the Warriors and Wizards need to shake things up. The teams, as presently constructed, are going nowhere fast.
Will they be able to come to terms on a potential deal? They certainly have many ways to do so. How motivated are they, though? We’ll find out over the next few weeks.
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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.
