NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Bradley Beal, Terrence Jones and More
The NBA has gotten off to an exciting first week of action, and the Washington Wizards are off to a 2-1 start behind the play of young star Bradley Beal.
However, talks of a contract extension for Beal are cold, according to J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic.
If the two sides do not come to an agreement before Tuesday's deadline, Beal will become a restricted free agent after the 2015-16 season.
The same can be said for the Houston Rockets' forward duo of Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas. Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports said neither player is likely to sign a contract extension before the deadline.
Here is an in-depth look at what the future could hold for the three players.
Fast Start for Beal May Not Be Enough for an Extension
According to Michael, the Wizards were ready to give Beal an extension last year but hesitated because his production dropped.
It's early, but through three games this season, Beal's 25.3 points per contest are nearly 10 higher than his career average. He is also getting to the free-throw line 5.3 times per game, something Michael cited was an issue in the first three years of Beal's career, when he averaged just 2.7 free-throw attempts per contest.
According to NBA.com's David Aldridge, the Wizards would be smart to lock Beal up for the long term:
Per Marc Stein of ESPN.com, though, an extension is unlikely:
Beal's numbers could go down as the year progresses, but Aldridge made a good point. The Wizards are an improving team and pushed the Atlanta Hawks to six games in the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals. If they lock up one of their young stars to a max contract, it would show their commitment to winning.
Per Michael, if an extension doesn't happen by Tuesday, the sides will table their discussions until the end of the season, when Beal will become a restricted free agent.
Winless Rockets Sluggish with Extension Talks
Jones and Motiejunas have both been solid contributors to the Rockets' recent success, but it doesn't look as though either will receive an extension before the deadline.
Jones has averaged double-figure points over the past two seasons but played in only 33 games last year while dealing with leg and lung injuries.
The fourth-year forward out of the University of Kentucky played in only 128 games over his first three seasons. He is averaging 23.5 minutes per game this year but did not play in the team's Nov. 1 loss to the Miami Heat after suffering a cut on his right eyelid in Friday's loss to the Golden State Warriors, per Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
Motiejunas had the best season of his career in 2014-15, averaging 12.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 71 games. He has yet to see the floor this year as he recovers from back surgery, which he underwent in April.
Though both are set to become restricted free agents in the summer, neither forward has done much this year to compel the 0-3 Rockets to extend a favorable offer.
