Bradley Beal is a player that has been in trade rumors for years. Washington has seen a lack of success, making the playoffs twice in the last five years. In the past, Beal has shut down trade rumors almost immediately. As of late, the rumors are sparking once again with Beal’s uncertainty towards the end of his contract. Beal could potentially sign the super-max contract he feels he deserves and choose to move on from Washington. With that being said, here are some realistic trade options to get Beal out of Washington.
Realistic Bradley Beal Trade Destinations
Sacramento Kings
The Trade: No. 4 pick, Terence Davis, and Harrison Barnes for Bradley Beal
Kings GM Monte McNair is entering the last year of his contract. In order to secure his job, he should look to make a playoff push after their 17-year playoff drought. If McNair hopes to do this adding a player who would immediately contribute like Beal would be huge.
The Kings lucked into the 4th overall pick in a top 3 heavy draft this year. With no perfect pick for Sacramento, they should look to trade it. Beal paired alongside De’Aaron Fox would do wonders for this team as Fox is known to struggle beyond the arc. The scoring mixed with the presence of Domantas Sabonis would create a big three of sorts.
For Washington, Barnes could provide some much-needed wing depth with players such as Rui Hachimura who missed a significant amount of time last season. The 4th overall pick could also accelerate the rebuild as they could bring in a shooting guard such as Jaden Ivey or Shaedon Sharpe in the draft to replace Beal.
Charlotte Hornets
The Trade: James Bouknight, Jalen McDaniels, Miles Bridges sign-and-trade, and No. 13 pick for Beal
The Charlotte Hornets have ended the past two seasons losing big in the play-in. LaMelo Ball has been a lone bright spot for this team with no other star stepping up. They’ve had quality role players but need to capitalize on Ball’s rookie contract before they’re to cap flexed out.
All three of the players from the Hornets are very young as both McDaniels and Bridges are 24 and Bouknight was a rookie with high potential. Washington would get younger and gain a draft pick while the Hornets would send away young players that don’t get much playing time for an All-Star caliber star to pair alongside Ball.
Atlanta Hawks
The Trade: John Collins, Jalen Johnson, Bogdan Bogdanović, and a 2023 first-round pick for Beal
The Atlanta Hawks have done a great job surrounding Trae Young with talent while on his rookie contract. This was especially highlighted last year on their Eastern Conference finals push. With rumors circulating about an unhappy Collins, packaging him with a young player in Johnson and a pick would expand Atlanta’s offensive potential.
For the Wizards this move would allow them to remain competitive while continuing to push towards a rebuild. Johnson is a young player who showed potential in his limited opportunities. Collins recently got a contract extension and will be locked up for a while. This move would give Washington some of the deepest depth at the forward position in the league. They also would replace Beal with Bogdanović at the guard position.
Miami Heat
The Trade: Tyler Herro sign-and-trade, Duncan Robinson, No. 27 pick, and a 2024 first-round pick for Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The Miami Heat have had great success the last couple of years despite not having a clear number one option. Jimmy Butler has proven he can lead a team to the finals and be a primary scorer, but that isn’t his specialty. He’s an all-around player that can do a bit of everything. Bringing in a player like Beal would give them a primary scorer and allow Butler to shine at other aspects of the floor like defense and playmaking. Caldwell-Pope would also be a benefit to the team as he can be a plug-and-play role player Miami is known for.
Herro has shown great potential as a scorer in his few years in the league. Washington could bring him in and test him out as a primary scorer to help him grasp his full potential. Robinson had a down year this year but the two years prior had shown him as an elite three-point threat. Bringing in both of these guys would completely reset their guard play. This move also makes them younger. Washington would also move off of Caldwell-Pope’s salary, who they owe over $14 million to next year.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Trade: Collin Sexton sign-and-trade, Isaac Okoro, Lauri Markkanen, and the No. 14 pick for Beal
The Cleveland Cavaliers finally turned around their lack of success without LeBron James this last year as they competed for a playoff spot. They showed potential to be a top 4 seed before being plagued with injuries and falling into the play-in game. The emergence of All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen really sped up the rebuilding process so they’re ready to compete. With such young All-Stars and the emergence of rookie star Evan Mobley, Cleveland should look for a vet to come in and help them compete. Cleveland has been looking for a shooting guard to pair alongside Garland and Beal can be the answer.
The Wizards should look towards Sexton to be the eventual replacement for Beal. In his last healthy season, he put up 24 points with amazing efficiency. He’s still a young player with the potential to increase his scoring even more. Okoro is also young and would be an elite defender Washington hasn’t seen for a while. Markkanen would also do a great service to their wing depth. This move would keep Washington competitive while getting younger.
