Bradley Beal Trade Rumors: Nets Have Internally Discussed Pursuing Wizards Star

The Brooklyn Nets spent last offseason securing the duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Their next act might be equally as challenging to pull off.  

According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, Brooklyn has held internal discussions over how to acquire Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal to complete the team's Big Three:

"It's unclear whether Beal will become available, though his circumstances have prompted speculation. The two-way guard is among the league's highest-paid players and on a Wizards team with a low ceiling. He signed a two-year, $72 million extension last year that quelled trade rumors but Washington (24-40) is again lottery-bound."

Bondy notes the Nets would need to match salaries in any trade for Beal, meaning they'd likely be forced to move more expensive assets like Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert or Jarrett Allen. 

Beal, for his part, isn't exactly looking to leave Washington, either.

"I hate change. If it happens, it happens," Beal previously told ESPN (h/t Bondy). "But if I can control it, I will finish in D.C. For me, I am kind of loyal to a fault."

It's no surprise Brooklyn is looking to continue adding. Despite a solid grip on a playoff spot this year with a 30-34 record—with Durant out for the season, no less—the Nets still have trouble matching up with the likes of the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference.

Adding someone like Beal, who is averaging 30.5 points, 6.1 assists and 4.2 rebounds, would drastically improve Brooklyn's chances.

Irving already made clear earlier this season how important it is for the Nets to continue building.

"I mean, it's transparent. It's out there. It's glaring, in terms of the pieces that we need in order to be at that next level," Irving told reporters in January. "I'm going to continue to reiterate it. We're going to do the best with the guys that we have in our locker room now, and we'll worry about all the other stuff, in terms of moving pieces and everything else, as an organization down the line in the summer."

Brooklyn has an uphill battle in trying to acquire Beal, and it may cost the team some of its rising stars like Allen, but the payoff isn't in question.

The feasibility of the plan very much is.