Washington Wizards: is it time to move this former All-Star?

Following their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Washington Wizards have fallen to 11-13, even behind stellar play from their big three. With another losing season without coming close to the playoffs looking inevitable, is it time for the Wizards to finally move their star guard Bradley Beal?

There have been rumors of moving Beal for years, especially after his breakout season in 2019-’20 where he averaged 30 points per game, but the Wizards only won 25 games. He has yet to really lead the team anywhere as the clear top option on the roster.

Many of those rumors were put to rest when he signed a new contract this past offseason featuring a no trade clause, one of very few players to ever have one. This means if they were to move Beal, he would also have to agree to the trade.

Why would the Washington Wizards even consider moving their star player?

Bradley Beal is far from a fully rounded basketball player, his defense and playmaking have historically been questionable at best, and he’s never really been able to rebound at the level of other guards his height. Mix these with his three-point percentage dwindling since the John Wall injury, and his lack of All-Star appearances makes more sense.

He seems to be more of an off-ball player as his best seasons in terms of efficiency almost exclusively came along side Wall. His percentages have gone back up this season, but there are also more ball handlers on the roster.

Beal could be one of the best second options in the NBA in the right circumstances. However, he is likely never going to be in that sort of scenario in Washington until he is no longer effective as a star player.

His ability to catch and shoot or put the rock on the floor to create good looks from the rim make his skills valuable to any team looking to trade for him.