NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Bradley Beal Trade, Knicks' Free-Agency Plans

Even though it's been two-and-a-half months since the NBA season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, rumors continue to circulate about the offseason, whenever that may take place.

Free agency and trade chatter are popular topics of discussion during the offseason, and it has helped fill the void with no live basketball to watch and dissect.

If the NBA resumes the 2019-20 season (either in the regular season or by advancing straight to the playoffs), it will cause the offseason to be pushed back. And for teams that won't reach the postseason, it will give them more time to think about what potential moves they'll want to make to try to improve.

Here's a look at some of the rumors currently circulating about the upcoming offseason.

Wizards May Not Be Looking to Deal Beal

Don't get too excited about seeing the Brooklyn Nets' new "big three" of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Bradley Beal just yet. It may never come to fruition.

Rumors circulated about a potential Beal-to-Brooklyn trade after Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported that the Nets had "internally discussed" trying to acquire the 26-year-old shooting guard from the Wizards.

However, Washington may not be interested in such a deal, as The Athletic's Fred Katz wrote on Sunday that "the Wizards steadfastly do not want to trade Beal, sources say."

Even though Washington has struggled the past two seasons, it's easy to see why it might want to keep Beal, a two-time All-Star and integral part of the team's core since it drafted him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2012. They're the same reasons why the Nets would have interest in adding him to form a dominant trio alongside Durant and Irving.

In the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, Beal played all 82 games and was named an All-Star. This season, he's averaged 30.5 points and 6.1 assists, both career highs, in 57 games. He's also signed through the 2020-21 season, when he's set to earn $28.75 million.

Although the Wizards may not want to trade him, not everybody agrees with their thinking, according to Katz.

"There are loads of people inside the league who believe the Wizards would be better off if they dealt him for young players and/or draft picks as soon as they could," he wrote. "Such is life when the NBA’s second-leading scorer plays on a .375 squad."

So, is Beal safe from ever getting dealt by Washington? Katz added that the Wizards "could trade him at some point," but "unless something drastic occurs, it's not going to be this offseason."

Who Could Knicks Add Alongside Barrett?

Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

RJ Barrett is an exciting prospect, and the shooting guard has had a solid rookie season for the New York Knicks.

In 56 games (55 starts), the 19-year-old has averaged 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 40.2 percent from the field. And after getting selected with the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, there's plenty of time for him to continue to improve and develop his game.

But Barrett alone won't be enough to get the Knicks back to the playoffs, where they haven't been since 2013. They need other standout players, some of whom may not yet be on their roster. That's why this offseason will likely be another important one for New York.

According to Ian Begley of SNY, some in the Knicks organization "see finding a lead guard who can knock down a shot as a priority for the offseason." And before Leon Rose took over as president of the Knicks, the front office and scouts had another need as "a forward who can stretch the floor," per Begley.

"If you want to complement Barrett, that's where I'd go," an opposing front-office member said, according to Begley. "Adding [a guard and big man who can shoot from the perimeter], you space the floor and make things easier for him. The floor was so crowded for them this year."

Begley listed Danilo Gallinari, Carmelo Anthony and Christian Wood as potential free-agent targets who New York could pursue, if that's how it decides to add a forward who can shoot. The Knicks also have two first-round picks, one of which should be an early lottery pick, so they could address some of their needs with those selections.

These decisions could be critical and affect how much New York can improve over the next few years. After seven straight losing seasons, the Knicks are in a position where they could turn the tide if they add the right young players and complementary pieces.