Bradley Beal is finally healthy and putting up All-Star level numbers for the Washington Wizards — scoring 25.3 points per game annd shooting 46 percent from three. He’s also making big plays, such as Wednesday night’s three-pointer to beat the Spurs. He and John Wall have formed one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
And he’s a restricted free agent next summer. Teams are going to chase him.
That doesn’t mean he’s looking to bolt. He told Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports he wants to stay put.“This is where I want to be. I’m not looking at any other teams. I’m not looking to go anywhere else. I believe in this team we have in this locker room. I’m a big cornerstone of this team, so I’m here. I want to be here. Hopefully, the front office knows that. I’m pretty sure that they know that,” Beal told Yahoo Sports. “It’s a business at the end of the day. I can’t let that affect the way I play, nor will I ever let it. It’s money at the end of the day. And I just want to go out here and play my butt off, each and every night and get what I deserve. Earn every penny that I get. If that’s the max, then it’s the max. And if it’s not, it’s not. At least I can look at it and say I gave it my all.”
This isn’t about liking or not liking a player, it’s all about cap space next summer. As the Spurs did before with Kawhi Leonard and the Pistons are doing with Andre Drummond right now, rather than reaching a deal on a contract extension the Wizards and Beal agreed to hold off leaving the team more cap space to chase a big name free agent next summer. Not to name any names... *cough* Durant *cough*.
Whether or not the Wizards land a big-time free agent, they will re-sign Beal after they make their other moves. And if he keeps playing the way he has lately, that will likely be to a max deal.