Over the past 72 hours, there’s been a lot of chatter surrounding the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal that goes beyond wishful thinking from Warriors’ fans.
The intrigue started on Thursday when The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson reported that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — all over the age of 30 and wanting to make the most of their remaining championship window — have urged the team’s front office to consider trading both lottery picks (picks No. 7 and 14, respectively) for “someone who can help immediately.”
Thompson reported that Beal, who was the NBA’s second-leading scorer last season behind only Curry, sits atop the team’s wish list. The shooting guard was deemed the best possible fit alongside Curry, Thompson and Green, and the team does not believe that disgruntled Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard wants to play for them.
Beal of course, has said multiple times he wants to play his entire career in Washington, where he is under contract for one more season before facing a player option in 2022. Because of Beal’s past insistence he’s happy where he is, most continued to assume a trade is highly unlikely.
Then came Saturday morning, when Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported that Beal is now “considering requesting a trade” ahead of the NBA Draft on Thursday, as he “knows he has to make a decision before the draft.” Fischer reported that if Beal asks to be moved, he wants “to land in an established winning environment” and would “welcome” a trade to the Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat or Philadelphia 76ers.
Saturday’s report is the first real indication Beal may actually become available, taking the Warriors’ hopes of landing Beal from “pipe dream” to “certainly plausible.” If Beal does request a trade, the path for him to land in Golden State is really quite simple.
Of the teams on Beal’s short list, Golden State is likely best equipped to win a bidding war. None of the other three contenders have lottery picks — let alone first-round selections of any kind — in this year’s highly touted draft class. The Warriors will also likely offer 2020 No. 2 pick James Wiseman, multiple future firsts, and possibly third-year shooting guard Jordan Poole. Forward Andrew Wiggins would have to be sent to the Wizards in any trade package to get the salary matching to work.
In addition, Washington may be inclined to send Beal out of the Eastern Conference, which should further help the Warriors.
Beal has a tremendous amount of leverage, and if he has any desire to play for Golden State (he worked out with Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics before being placed in COVD-19 health and safety protocols), he would have to be traded there through salary matching, as the over-the-salary-cap Warriors cannot plausibly sign him as a free agent if he opts out in 2022.
The Warriors’ ability to win a bidding war will almost assuredly disappear after the conclusion of the draft once Washington loses its opportunity to make selections at picks No. 7 and 14, so if a Beal-to-the-Warriors move is going to happen, it will likely have to happen in the next few days.
It is highly possible Beal realizes his window to join the Warriors (who would have to be considered Western Conference favorites with him on the roster) is closing, hence his reported consideration of asking for a trade in the coming days.
