Bradley Beal Trade Rumors: Bucks Will Be Top Suitor for Wizards Star amid Heat Links
The Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are reportedly expected to be the two teams most heavily interested in pursuing a trade for Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.
During an appearance Thursday on Get Up, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said the following about Milwaukee and Miami's interest in the three-time All-Star:
"Two teams I want to mention that I think are in the forefront right now. The Miami Heat—and this is a surprise, but this is what I've been told—and the Milwaukee Bucks. Two teams that I think that are showing interest. There are other teams on the periphery, but the two teams I think at the forefront—Miami and Milwaukee."
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that the Wizards front office intends to work with Beal on trade scenarios if the organization decides to move toward a rebuild.
Washington signed Beal to a five-year, $251.02 million contract extension just last year, and as part of the deal, Beal became the only player in the NBA to have a no-trade clause.
Given the no-trade clause and how hefty his contract is, Windhorst said Wednesday on ESPN's Keyshawn, JWill and Max (beginning at the 3:20 mark) that people will be "very surprised" by how little Beal commands on the trade market:
If that proves to be true, it make sense that a contending team like the Bucks or Heat would have interest in adding a player of Beal's caliber.
Beal, who will be 30 when the 2023-24 season begins, was among the top scorers in the NBA just a couple of years ago, averaging 30.5 points per game in 2019-20 and a career-hight 31.3 points per game the following season.
Although Beal's scoring has dipped the past two seasons, he has still been a highly productive player.
In 50 games last season, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 three-pointers made, plus he shot a career-best 50.6 percent from the field, as well as 36.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Perhaps the main concern with Beal is durability since he has missed a total of 74 games over the past two campaigns and has not played in more than 60 games in a season since playing in all 82 in both 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Even so, trading for him could be a worthwhile risk for Bucks and Heat teams that are very much in the championship conversation.
Milwaukee won a championship in 2021 with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, and while it had the best record in the NBA this past season, it was shocked by the eighth-seeded Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
Center Brook Lopez is set to become a free agent this offseason and wing Khris Middleton has a player option for next season, meaning Milwaukee could potentially part ways with one or both of them and bring in Beal to form one of the NBA's best trios with Giannis and Jrue Holiday.
As for the Heat, they reached the NBA Finals this season, but they were the lowest-scoring team in the league, so they could use an offensive shot in the arm like Beal.
Miami has a strong core in place with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and can perhaps offer the Wizards a more attractive trade package than Milwaukee, headlined by 23-year-old guard Tyler Herro.
If the Wizards do decide to move on from Beal after missing the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, he could prove to be the missing piece to a championship puzzle elsewhere.
