Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard Giving Bradley Beal Space on Contract Extension

The Washington Wizards won't press the issue regarding Bradley Beal's contract extension.

Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard told reporters Thursday the team will allow Beal to make up his mind without lobbying him too hard before the Oct. 21 deadline:

Beal has two years remaining on his deal. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in July that Washington was prepared to put a three-year, $111 million maximum extension on the table, which it did.

During an interview with NBC Sports Washington's Chris Miller on the Wizards Talk podcast, the two-time All-Star said he hasn't weighed the issue much.

"Honestly you might slap me, but I haven't thought about it," he said. "I'm just getting better and letting my agent, Tommy [Sheppard] and everybody else deal with it. I just go hoop. Every day I see somebody and they ask 'Beal, you leaving?' and I'm like 'I'm still living in D.C., I ain't going nowhere.'"

The Wizards missed the playoffs in 2018-19 and face a bleak short-term future. John Wall is likely to miss all of 2019-20 while he recovers from an Achilles injury, and the team lacks other young, foundational stars.

Because of that, nobody will be surprised if Beal plays out his deal and leaves as a free agent in 2021. Should he make his intentions known to the front office, the Wizards might trade him before then.

The Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans had little recourse but to trade Paul George and Anthony Davis as they both made it clear they wouldn't re-sign.

However, Kevin Love was in a similar position as the Cleveland Cavaliers looked toward a post-LeBron James future, and he signed a four-year, $120 million extension last summer.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported in August the Wizards "have been given no reason to believe [Beal] wants to go elsewhere."

That status would probably change if Beal allowed the deadline to pass without officially agreeing to the team's max offer.