Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has long been the focus of NBA trade rumors.
The three-time All-Star scored a career-high 31.3 points per game last season, finishing second in the NBA in scoring to Stephen Curry (32 points per game).
While Beal’s name has been bandied about for years, the 28-year-old shooting guard has publicly maintained a desire to remain in Washington long-term.
Stars have come and gone beside Beal, who has ascended to an All-NBA level talent.
Bradley Beal has so far expressed he wants to remain with the Wizards and has not indicated he prefers a trade, per sources.
Beal, however, feels frustrated for the portrayal of his situation in D.C.
The latest from @ShamsCharania & @FredKatz: https://t.co/Wt2qqAwZrX pic.twitter.com/llbWowZvWl
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 2, 2021
Beal Good Enough To Build Around
Last season, the Wizards toiled through an injury-riddled campaign.
But despite having to claw back into the playoff race, the Wizards successfully navigated the Play-In Tournament and pushed the Philadelphia 76ers in their first-round series.
After missing the playoffs each of the last three seasons, Beal’s return to the postseason saw the 6-foot-3 guard average 30 points per game in that series.
With Russell Westbrook at his side, Beal averaged a career-high 31.3 points per game.
But now that Westbrook is gone, Beal must manufacture his own opportunities on the offensive end.
With Beal the top option on the team over the last three seasons, Washington has struggled.
Although he has averaged over 30 points per game for two straight seasons, the Wizards sport losing records over that span.
Last season, the team’s offensive efficiency slipped to 17th in the NBA.
Westbrook’s poor shooting numbers takes the blame for some of that, however.
New Wizards head coach, Wes Unseld Jr., should help turn around the team’s defensive deficiencies.
And now, with a more balanced roster, a deeper bench, and more capable shooters, the Wizards should be positioned to take a step forward.
Wizards Have Added Talent Around Beal
Our Wizards have done a great job of adding a lot of weapons this offseason to put alongside Bradley Beal. 💪 pic.twitter.com/A74uQxDve3
— Wizards Nation (@WizardsNationCP) August 11, 2021
The Wizards have sought to stabilize the rotation around Beal for years.
One offseason after swapping massive supermax contracts with the exchange of John Wall for Westbrook, Washington flipped Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In return, the Wizards acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and a first-round pick from Los Angeles.
But the trade morphed into a complicated five-team exchange that also saw Washington land the services of Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Holiday, as well as Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
The haul from Los Angeles provides the Wizards with three starting-caliber players for the rotation right now.
The move also alleviates the hefty sum owed to Westbrook (previously Wall), and portions out that money more evenly along the roster.
Kuzma averaged 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season and should see an uptick in usage.
Harrell, meanwhile, arrives as a former Sixth Man of the Year winner and an excellent pick-and-roll partner for Beal.
Caldwell-Pope sports a previous friendship with Beal, and will slide right into a 3-and-D role with the Wizards.
The most intriguing offseason addition in Washington remains Dinwiddie.
The 28-year-old former second-round pick has molded himself into a player on the cusp of stardom.
Dinwiddie enjoyed a breakout campaign with Brooklyn in 2019-20 when he averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game.
But he lost much of last season to a partial ACL tear.
If Dinwiddie can regain his pre-injury form, now Beal has a capable cast of complementary players alongside him for the first time in his career.
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