The Wizards are underachieving on the year and while there has been some speculation over Bradley Beal‘s unhappiness in Washington, the shooting guard does not want a trade, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz and Shams Charania.
Beal is well-aware of other players receiving criticism over their choices to abandon franchises in recent years and he feels like he’s getting hypocritical criticism from the media over his choice to remain loyal to The District.
Beal has looked visibly frustrated on the bench after several recent Wizards losses, something that only added fuel to the rumor mill fires. There were even rumblings that Beal was planning on sitting down with the front office to request a trade, though sources close to the situation told FortyEightMinutes.com that they were unaware of any plans.
Washington isn’t making a Beal trade unless he requests it. The Wizards have long maintained that keeping Beal long-term is their preference and the club has been willing to do everything within their power to keep their star happy. They’ve gone to great lengths to do so—like back in 2019 when he signed his extension, Washington vowed not to trade him anywhere he doesn’t want to go, essentially giving Beal a verbal no-trade clause.
As we explained last week, demanding a trade from almost any player, isn’t going to come from a place of frustration; it’s a significant life move that nearly 100 percent of the time is a thought-out, last resort request. We’re not near that move for Beal, who has two years remaining on his deal after this one (though the final year is a player option).
Washington is off to a rocky 4-12 start, but the team just pulled off a momentum-shifting win over the Nets on Sunday, and they have a chance to turn the season around with an upcoming schedule that’s stacked with games because of postponements.
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