Bradley Beal is no stranger to trade rumors, but this summer might finally be the time the Washington Wizards guard is dealt to a new team.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Wednesday afternoon that the Wizards will work with Beal to find a trade if the franchise decides to undergo a rebuild.
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Charania also reported that "the Miami Heat are expected to be prominent suitors for Beal if he reaches the market." Beal is the only player in the league with a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can veto any deal.
Beal has spent his entire 11-year career with the Wizards after they selected him No. 3 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. Even though Beal has played at an All-Star level for most of his career and has scored above 30 points per game twice, the Wizards have made just five playoff appearances with three playoff series wins in his career.
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The Wizards have finished 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 35-47 record in each of the last two seasons. The franchise doesn't have much of a future due to a lack of talented young players and valuable draft picks. A full reset would be a smart path for Washington to take. Trading Beal could help accelerate that process by getting the good Wizards some assets to build around or use in other deals.
There are a few concerns surrounding Beal, though. He missed 42 games in 2021-22 and 32 games in 2022-23 due to injuries. He'll be 30 years old on June 28 and he's entering the second season of a five-year, $251 million extension. That contract includes a 2026-27 player option for $57 million.
But if healthy, Beal would be a fantastic addition to a contending team. He's a very good scorer and has averaged 23.2 points and 37.6 percent shooting from 3-point range in his career.