It is therefore in Phoenix that Bradley Beal will continue his career. As her agent, Mark Bartelstein, explained, the process was not easy as there were many obstacles.
The Wizards were nevertheless determined to turn the page, especially when you see what they recovered: a Chris Paul who should go elsewhere, a Landry Shamet whose value was at an all-time low, second rounds of the Draft and a few “swaps” (exchanges of Draft choices) whose value has yet to be defined…
The Wizards and the sense of timing
Did Washington have nothing better on the table? For fans of the capital franchise, whose rallying word is the jaded hashtag #SoWizards, it’s the symbol of a franchise that does everything backwards.
So why did you offer the jackpot ($251 million over five years) to Bradley Beal last summer to exchange it a year later? Why didn’t you launch the reconstruction last year, with Victor Wembanyama in focus, to experience a new campaign of mediocrity and thus end up with the 8th choice of the vintage?
Because exchanging Bradley Beal just before the implementation of the new collective agreement was not easy.
Clearly, the Wizards have chosen the option that allows them to “clean up” their finances as much as possible. The Heat’s offer, which obviously included Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and several first round draft picks, was arguably more attractive but the Lowry-Robinson duo still had $77 million guaranteed on their contracts, while the Paul-Shamet duo only has 44 million, as the Miami Herald recalls.
As for Tyler Herro, he couldn’t be part of Miami’s offer because his “tradable” salary currently only counts for $5.7 million, with his extension not starting until next season.
The ultimate “Big Three” attempted by the Suns?
With the need to balance salaries, Miami’s options were therefore quite limited, and forced the Wizards to recover more guaranteed contracts than the Suns offer. The Kings obviously did not have what interested Washington, while it is even more vague with regard to the Bucks.
Khris Middleton having a “player option” for the next season, he would have had to activate it for the Bucks to include him in their offer. Brook Lopez is a free agent and Giannis Antetokounmpo logically untouchable. Suddenly, the only real option for Milwaukee was to offer Jrue Holiday and an additional contract (Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis or Grayson Allen) to get their hands on Bradley Beal.
The point guard is not one of the untouchables in Wisconsin, and he was not involved in the search for the team’s new coach, while the “Greek Freak” was in the past interested in seeing Bradley Beal join him. But was the Wisconsin franchise really ready to let go of its starting point guard?
As for the Suns, they have chosen to go “all-in” before the entry into force of the new collective agreement, even if it means taking the risk of exploding the second ceiling of the “luxury tax” for the next three seasons, so that the NBA has done everything to limit the options of teams that do so.
But Mat Ishbia, who displays the classic risky impatience of the new owner who wants to win quickly, is ready to attempt a final “Big Three”. Before such associations become impossible?
