(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Bradley Beal has been one of the NBA’s best shooting guards for years now, but he has been languishing on bad and mediocre Washington Wizards teams.
He has a player option for next season, and he could either decline it and become a free agent this summer, or he can wait until next summer to hit the open market.
The other possibility is that if Beal opts into that final year, the Wizards may trade him in order to get some value in return for him.
Beal is in his prime, and he deserves the opportunity to play on a team that has a shot at winning the NBA title.
What are some possible and realistic destinations for him, either this summer or next?
3. Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic is in the discussion as being arguably the best player in the sport, but his supporting cast is very underwhelming.
In the first two games of the Western Conference semifinals versus the Phoenix Suns, the Slovenian native was other-worldly, but he got little help.
Beal is the type of player who could team up with him and give Dallas a vastly improved roster that could compete with just about any opponent.
“They need a guy that’s just as good as Luka but a little bit better…like a Bradley Beal or Russell Westbrook.”
– Shaq on the Mavericks pic.twitter.com/KNarMISlq5
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) February 5, 2021
Guard Jalen Brunson will be a free agent himself this offseason, and he could be looking for a big payday.
Could the Mavs and Wizards be open to a Brunson-Beal swap being the framework of a potential deal?
Dallas would likely have to include one or two more viable players, but Beal will be just 29 next season, so it may be a reasonable price to pay.
2. Miami Heat
The Heat are halfway toward returning to the Eastern Conference Finals after their 119-103 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
But some still doubt that Miami has enough firepower to go all the way.
Beal has been linked to the Heat for the last couple of years, and this may be the opportunity for him to make good on such rumors.
Bleacher Report predicts Miami landing Bradley Beal in a sign-and-trade this offseason:
“The Heat have both the championship-caliber supporting cast Beal lacks and the trade chips to send back to the District in a sign-and-trade.” pic.twitter.com/wtcFTtu1RE
— Heat Nation (@HeatNationCom) March 22, 2022
He would give the Heat to someone who could put points on the board early in the game and help them get off to faster starts against the NBA’s best teams.
That would take the pressure off Jimmy Butler to have to rescue the team as much from second-half deficits.
Would Miami president Pat Riley be willing to part with enough of his young players, even if it would mean giving up Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro?
1st Cleveland Cavaliers
There are rumors that the Cavs may not end up extending guard Collin Sextonand if that is the case, one has to wonder if they’d be open to swapping him for Beal.
That way, Sexton could get a big contract and be the main man on a young team that also has Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, while the Cavs get a star guard who may be a better fit next to Darius Garland.
Cleveland needs help at the wing spot, and it also needs another ball-handling guard who can create for others, and Beal could help in both areas.
He and Garland could form one of the NBA’s best backcourts while helping to take the pressure off a developing Evan Mobley.
