Bradley Beal Rumors: Celtics, 76ers Not Pursuing Wizards Trade; Nets Could Enter Mix

Rumors continue to swirl around where Bradley Beal will be playing next year after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that the Washington Wizards are looking at potential trades for their veteran guard.

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are not pursuing the trade, while the Miami Heat have emerged as Beal's most likely candidate, Marc Stein and Chris Haynes said Thursday around the 8:30 mark of the #thisleague UNCUT podcast.

"By all accounts, Miami, that is the team that is most intriguing to Bradley Beal," Stein said. "Maybe others will emerge as this process goes on further, but at this point, it's not the Knicks. I don't think Boston or Philly. I don't think either one of those Eastern powers is even pursuing this. Miami right now, that's the team."

"I would throw Brooklyn in there as well as a team that could potentially get in the mix if Beal approves it," Haynes added.

Beal, who turns 30 later this month, averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Wizards in 2022-23.

Stein wrote in his Substack Thursday that the Heat are favorited to get Beal because Beal wants to go to Miami. Beal has the only full no-trade clause in the NBA, so he will have to agree to whatever deal the Wizards are able to set up.

"Draft considerations and salary cap relief are thought to be at the top of Washington's wish list in any Beal trade, but the prerequisite of needing Beal's consent puts Miami in a strong position to assemble an offer around Tyler Herro that the Wizards would presumably otherwise show little interest in considering," Stein wrote (h/t CBS Sports.)

Herro signed a four-year deal with the Heat last summer, which begins next season at a base salary of $27 million. He remained sidelined, despite being ready to return from injury, for the Miami Heat's elimination Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets Monday.

The Heat might be interested in swapping him for a veteran if they believe that will give the team their best chance to return to the finals next season, while Jimmy Butler is still Jimmy Butler.

Haynes said the Brooklyn Nets could be in the mix, if Beal agrees to move to the Big Apple. After trading star guard Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in February, the Nets could be looking for another high-scoring veteran guard.

This wouldn't be the first time the Brooklyn franchise has pursued Beal. Jackie MacMullan reported for ESPN in 2020 that the Nets were interested in pursuing the Wizards star.

In order to fit in Beal's contract, the Nets would likely need to move a major piece like Ben Simmons, who is signed on for $37.9 million next season.

The biggest obstacle for whichever team acquires Beal will be finding space for his salary. Beal is set for a cap hit of $46.3 million in 2023-24, which increases to $50 million the following season.