Wizards, Bradley Beal Exploring Trade Scenarios

The Wizards and star shootring guard Bradley Beal could potentially work together to maneuver a trade, as rival teams call about Beal’s availability, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

New Wizards head of basketball operations Michael Winger and Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, could work together on a potential deal, Wojnarowski wrote. From the sounds of things, neither Beal nor the Wizards are desperate to part ways.

But with Winger as the new basketball man in charge, the Wizards are expected to explore all possibilities. They are undoubtedly receiving calls on Beal.

Along with the Beal situation, they have to make a decision on forwards Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma, who have player options on their contracts and are expected to test free agency.

The Heat would be among the suitors if the Wizards do indeed decide to trade Beal, per Shams Charania and Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst addressed the Beal situation on Get Up a day before Wednesday’s news broke.

“Last week, Michael Winger, the new president of the Washington Wizards, said he has been given clearance from ownership to do a complete rebuild,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on Get Up, via RealGM. “That has left everybody in the league wondering what about the future of Bradley Beal.

“Beal has a unique contract unlike anybody else’s in the NBA. He has a no-trade clause, which means not only can he decide if he wants to leave the Wizards, but he can decide who and what he is traded for. It makes it extremely to find a deal and Michael Winger has said he has not made up his mind yet.”

Winger, for his part, indicated he has been given clearance to do a complete rebuild if that becomes the plan.

“The eventual expectation is that we’re going to build a generational contender,” Winger said, via Robbins. “We’re going to eventually have a team that is competing for championships. I can’t promise when that will be. But there’s no excuse for the lone NBA team in Washington, D.C., not to be a perennial contender or at least be pursuing championships.

“So, that’s the goal. The goal is to pursue championships by any means necessary. It’ll take time.”