Extending Bradley Beal is a Positive Start for New Look Front Office

With Bradley Beal signing a 2 year $72M extension to stay in Washington, it is clear that Tommy Sheppard and the rest of the Wizard’s front office have shown a commitment to change.

After a summer filled with uncertainty, Bradley Beal agreed to sign his extension with the Wizards. In more specifics terms, it is a one year extension with a player option in the second year. Now, regardless of the trade Beal campaign or how some may feel about the extension, the one person who deserves a lot of credit is, Wizard’s General Manager, Tommy Sheppard.

After a roller coaster ride that led to Sheppard getting the permanent GM position, it was clear that the biggest hurdle that he would have to jump is attempting to keep Beal around long term.

With a roster that is clearly in a rebuilding phase, many did not expect Beal to sign an extension. He had two years left on his deal. Looking at the roster and lack of assets, Beal could have asked for a trade to a contending team, which many assumed he would. He also could have waited to see how the team looks a year from now and then decide what he would want to do with his future.

However, he decided to sign the extension showing that Sheppard and company did a masterful job of selling Beal on the direction of the franchise.

The old Wizard’s days of overpaying aging veterans and trading draft picks are gone. After working as Ernie Grunfelds #2 for sixteen years, some were nervous that Sheppard could have the same mindset as his former boss. However, after just one offseason, he has already tried to distance himself from Grunfeld in how he wants to run this team.

He resigned Thomas Bryant to a very affordable contract, brought in some youth in Rui Hachimura, Moe Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Admiral Schofield, and signed a few savvy veterans in Ish Smith and Isaiah Thomas.

Sheppard’s short tenure as GM has provided us with his vision of youth and development on the fly. He has preached that with the right coaching and management, this team can get right back into the mix in the Eastern Conference, while continuing to grow as a franchise.

Bradley Beal’s extension only proves this philosophy. With Beal, they now have an All-Star who is just entering his prime at 26 years of age and under contract for 3-4 years. With John Wall likely out for the year, the Wizards will likely focus on development this year.

It does not look like Washington will win many games in 2019, but  if some of these players take the right step in their progression, we could be looking at a whole new outlook come 2020.

A team comprised of Bradley Beal, a healthy John Wall, Thomas Bryant, a 2020 Lottery Pick (#LaMeloToDC), Rui Hachimura, and the rest of the supporting cast could be promising. With Beal committing to the team for the next few years, they now have a foundation to, not only build around, but to build with.

If I had to guess, Sheppard and the rest of the organization would like to compete in 2020. Yet, regardless of whether they will be competitive next year, Sheppard has shown his willingness to be patient with a group of guys who can develop and grow together.

These beliefs are already making their way through an organization that has had plenty of rough patches. However, one thing is clear, Sheppard and the rest of the front office have already persuaded the most important person in the room, their leader, Bradley Beal.