While All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal is continuing to weigh his options, the expectation around the NBA is that he will remain with the Wizards, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Recent speculation suggested that Beal may seek a trade top contender, with rumors linking him mostly to the Celtics.
Despite the noise, though, there may not exactly be a sense of urgency to move on for Beal.
“Winning, and winning in the nation’s capital, has long been communicated as Beal’s top priority, and Washington’s ability to offer a fifth year to his next deal using Bird rights next summer could ultimately net Beal an extra $54 million over the length of that contract,” Fischer wrote.
Beal is coming off his first season playing alongside Russell Westbrook in the Washington backcourt, and both players are said to enjoy playing next to each other. Along with that, the Wizards are coming off a playoff berth, and the sense is the addition of one more top-flight wing or big could put them in true contention in the Eastern Conference.
Beal, 28, is 6-foot-3 and was second in the NBA in scoring (to Golden State’s Stephen Curry) with an average of 31.3 points in 60 games. He shot 49 percent from the field, too.
The Wizards own the No. 15 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
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