Bradley Beal has not played for the Washington Wizards since January 29 as he has been dealing with a wrist injury.
The team needs him to make a playoff run and that is why Tuesday’s update is so crushing.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had the bad news for Wizards fans.
Washington Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal plans to undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022
Beal is officially undergoing season-ending surgery on his wrist at a time when the Wizards are 24-29 and one game out of the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.
Yet Beal’s status has always been about more than just a fringe playoff spot in 2022.
He and the team have a monumental decision to make in the offseason.
Bradley Beal Can Start Focusing On His Future
The guard has always been loyal to the Wizards and has never forced his way out even when things got tough.
The money he can make this upcoming offseason may explain why.
Bradley Beal is eligible to sign a five-year, $245M contract with the Wizards this summer. Beal has a $36.4M player option on next season. https://t.co/T22NT7QzR8
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022
He is eligible to sign a five-year, $245 million deal in Washington this summer.
That is obviously generational wealth there for the taking if he stays with the team that drafted him.
He would likely want to take that deal, while the Wizards may be more inclined to do him a favor and then swap him in a trade to a winning team.
Beal would get paid and get to chase a title while the Wizards can rebuild and save some money.
He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft and the team has not advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals during his tenure.
John Wall is already gone and trading away Beal would mark the end of a once promising era.
But it may have to happen if the team wants a fresh start where the front office can use the money that would be committed to Beal on a whole host of younger talent.
