Wizards’ Bradley Beal contemplated leaving during free agency

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal came close to leaving during free agency. While on J.J. Redick’s “The Old Man and The Three” podcast, he admitted his inner desire to play for another team.

“I was definitely being human and thinking about it,” explained Beal on exploring his free agency options. “I was thinking about what it’d be like on the other side, on different teams, and seeing what was available for me.”

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“The market was what it was, and it wasn’t too promising,” continued Beal. “It wasn’t necessarily what I wanted to do, but I ended up staying and I felt like that was the best decision for me.”

Moreover, the Wizards guard was asked if he thought about playing with other All-Stars. Redick wondered if he wanted to sign with another team. Fans mentioned the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets.

Wizards guard Bradley Beal thought about leaving during free agency before signing a five-year, $251 million contract extension

“I think. I live in the present. And I have a phone just like everybody else,” said the Wizards star. “I see people go, ‘Oh, you should go here, what it’d be like if you played with Jayson [Tatum], what it’d be like if you went to Brooklyn, if you went to LA or went to Denver.’ Yeah, s–t, it would look good. I’m not going to sit here and lie.”

“I also know that those deals, it’s going to take a while for those things to get done. You’re going to offer up pretty much your whole team in order to get to where you want to get to, so it’s kind of playing devil’s advocate, too, in where you want to go and factoring all that into it. It’s a part of the game. I definitely gave it some thought.”

Last season, in 40 starts, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and a career-best 6.6 assists per game. Plus, he shot 45.1% from the field and a career-low 30% from 3-point range.

On January 29, 2022, in the Wizards’ 115-95 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies, Beal sprained a ligament in his left wrist. In the following month, the three-time All-Star announced that he would undergo season-ending wrist surgery.

In July, the 10-year veteran signed a five-year, $251 million supermax contract extension with the Wizards. His contract includes a $57,128,610 player option for the 2026-27 season.

Not to mention, Beal’s new deal has a no-trade clause and a 15% trade bonus. So, he cannot be dealt until Dec. 15, if the guard ever asked to be moved. It would definitely shake up the NBA if the 29-year-old demanded a trade. After all, he’s one of the highest-paid players in the league.