Former Washington Wizards star somehow ‘surprised’ by trade

Within a few weeks of the old regime in the front office was cleared out, it became clear what the new direction of the Washington Wizards would be. However, they still needed to clear out the old roster.

This inevitably led to the trade that sent Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns in a deal that would give the Wizards the assets to snag Jordan Poole. However, the trade could have looked very different.

Bradley Beal initially thought that Devin Booker would be heading to the Washington Wizards

In an interview with Slam’s Deyscha Smith, former Wizard Bradley Beal detailed how he felt as the trade was progressing.

"“I was like, Why are they trading Book? Like there’s no way that this is happening. Like, this can’t be, this isn’t right. But fast forward, he’s here, I’m here and Kevin’s here and DA [Deandre Ayton]’s here. It’s surreal and crazy to think about how the deal even came to fruition, but it’s done and I’m in an awesome situation where I can compete every single night for a chance to win.”"

While many have chosen to focus on the fact that Beal thought Devin Booker would be traded, it was unlikely that the All-Star was ever involved in trade talks as he was not involved in the Kevin Durant trade just a few months prior.

What’s more puzzling is the idea that he was somehow surprised by the trade in any way shape or form. Last I checked, he had a no-trade clause and essentially said Phoenix or Miami, nothing else.

There are still other blockbuster trades the Wizards could be a part of, but few have the ability to divide fans the way the initial Beal deal for Chris Paul did.

While Bradley Beal may no longer be with the Washington Wizards, his legacy still impacts the franchise today. It’s why they have a great young core and a future to look forward to for the first time in years.