Bradley Beal says chance to win will guide his free agency decision

Wizards star shooting guard Bradley Beal recently sat down with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report to discuss his impending free agency (h/t to ClutchPoints for transcription). Beal has a $36.4M player option for the 2022-23 season.

“I know what my decision will be based off of, and that’s gonna be where I feel like I can win. That’s going to be my decision,” Beal said. “If I feel like I can win in D.C., that’s what I’m gonna do, and I want people to respect that. You may or you may not, but I’m gonna work my ass off and I’m gonna compete and I wanna make this team better. If it’s elsewhere, it’s going to be the exact same commitment.”

Should he opt out, the Wizards could offer Beal a projected five-year, $247M maximum contract extension this summer. The most a rival team could offer him in free agency would be $183.6M. 

Washington drafted Beal out of Florida with the third pick in the 2012 draft. He has never played beyond the Eastern Conference semifinals with the Wizards.

Injuries restricted Beal’s availability for much of the 2021-22 NBA season. The three-time All-Star remained relatively productive when he was available, though his shooting numbers declined in his age-28 season. Beal averaged 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG and 4.7 RPG across 40 contests on .451/.300/.833 shooting. The Wizards finished with a 35-47 record this season.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

• Following a disappointing 2021-22 season in which they finished with a 43-39 record and were eventually defeated in five games by the Heat in the first round of the playoffs, the Hawks seem likely to make changes in the 2022 offseason. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic lists some of his favorite trade targets for Atlanta.
• Following a breakout season with the Heat, guard Max Strus is aware that the team will have heightened expectations heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I’ve just got to be more complete,” Strus said of developing his play. “There’s definitely areas for improvement. And that’s exciting about this game, that’s what wants you to keep flourishing, is the challenges that come with it.”
• Reaction around the hiring of new Hornets head coach Kenny Atkinson has been resoundingly positive, per Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. Boone explores the expectations surrounding Atkinson and his ability to help Charlotte, led by All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, move beyond the play-in tournament.