Report: Bradley Beal and Wizards still not progressing much on contract extension

At last check, Bradley Beal and the Wizards hadn’t progressed much in contract-extension talks.

Now?

Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post:

Both sides have maintained dialogue throughout the summer but there’s no rush and substantial progress hasn’t been made, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.

I don’t expect this to change until we get much closer to the Nov. 2 deadline for Beal to sign an extension. There just isn’t enough reason for either side to compromise yet.

There might not be enough reason at all.

Beal reportedly wants a max extension, which projects to start at $20,947,250. But any extension that starts at more than $14,236,685, Beal’s cap hold next summer if he doesn’t sign an extension, would eat into the Wizards’ 2016 cap room.

That matters. Because they’re pursuing Kevin Durant, it matters greatly.

So, Washington has major incentive to wait to sign Beal beyond the usual reason of making him prove on the court he deserves the max, which also applies here.

Beal could take less than the max, though I don’t see him accepting a starting salary at less than his cap hold. Perhaps, he could entice the Wizards by saving them enough in future seasons to make it worth their while.

There isn’t much, if any, middle ground here. If there’s some, it’ll be a while until we know.