NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Bradley Beal and James Harden
Stars continue to dominate the NBA's trade rumor mill.
In related news, up is up, the sky is blue and water is wet.
For a superstar-driven league, attention is always the elite needle-movers. The difference, though, is there are a pair of celestial hoopers either on the trade block or in close proximity to it. Should either be moved, it'd be the kind of transaction felt across the entire basketball landscape.
Let's devour the latest rumblings around James Harden and Bradley Beal.
Trade Hopefuls Shifting Attention to Bradley Beal
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Bradley Beal's days with the Washington Wizards could be numbered—if blockbuster-hopeful suitors have their wish granted, that is.
The longer James Harden resides in Space City, the more "teams thirsting for a blockbuster trade are increasingly shifting their gaze toward Beal," per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor.
Beal, the Association's leading scorer at an absurd 35.0 points per game, seems stranded on a one-star Wizards squad going nowhere fast. Despite his masterful contributions, the club sits 23rd in net efficiency at minus-2.8 points per game—and the figure falls to minus-5.6 when he takes a seat.
Russell Westbrook isn't working. Thomas Bryant is lost for the year to a torn ACL. Davis Bertans has cooled considerably. Washington's youth doesn't look ready for featured roles. And since the Wizards already have at least $117.4 million on next season's books, it's unclear how this situation gets resolved between now and when Beal can hit the open market in 2022.
While O'Connor noted Beal hasn't expressed a desire to be moved "yet," rival clubs are wondering whether that request could be coming sooner than later. Should the Wizards deem their roster broken beyond repair (or Beal reach that conclusion for them), a blockbuster deal could be coming down the pipeline.
Skepticism Surrounding Houston's Willingness to Deal James Harden
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Nearly two months have passed since word broke of Harden's trade request. Some around the league think it could be much longer before his wish is granted.
"League sources question general manager Rafael Stone's willingness to deal him this season," O'Connor reported. "... Front-office executives around the NBA say Houston is growing more confident that Harden will be content to stick around at least through the rest of the season."
While the Rockets are only 3-5, their outlook is rosier than their record. John Wall looks like John Wall. Christian Wood could be the steal of the summer and, should he keep this up, maybe a first-time All-Star. Houston's reserves rank seventh in raw plus/minus. Plus, Harden is posting silly stats as always, this time pairing 26.0 points with 11.0 assists per outing.
Houston is doing enough to wonder what might happen should the time play this out with the Beard. Saying that, though, O'Connor noted Harden "still prefers to be dealt," so maybe the Rockets are merely delaying the inevitable.
But if a Harden megatrade has even been paused, it's little wonder that Beal has captured the imagination of trade suitors.
Nets, Sixers Would Have Interest in Bradley Beal
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While Beal and Harden play dramatically different styles, both are high-scoring guards who can pilot NBA attacks. One would assume, then, there could be considerable overlap between their list of suitors.
O'Connor wrote that's exactly the case.
"Teams already widely known to have interest in Harden, such as the Nets and Sixers, would unsurprisingly also have interest in Beal," O'Connor reported.
The Ringer scribe, however, noted the Brooklyn Nets are considered "a fairly unlikely destination" for either star given its lack of top-shelf trade chips. The Philadelphia 76ers' ability to add an impact piece might all hinge on their willingness to move Ben Simmons.
Moving down the list, O'Connor polled 14 executives to a sleeper suitor for a star. The New Orleans Pelicans were the most popular pick given their combination of movable picks and prospects, plus need for a third star to help boost the offense around Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. The Miami Heat and New York Knicks were the only other teams to be named by multiple executives.
