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The Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks were the only teams willing to consider acquiring Bradley Beal from the Phoenix Suns, sources tell Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The Suns attempted to trade Beal over the course of several weeks in hopes of acquiring Jimmy Butler and canvassed the entire league.

The Suns had hoped they could improve their trade package to incentivize other teams to help them trade for Butler and thought a deal could materialize as other trades the Wizards and Hawks were working on fell through.

Whatever deal the Suns put together was subject to Beal waiving his no-trade clause to approve it. Beal was said to prefer a warm weather destination. 

Windhorst said on his podcast following the trade deadline that the messaging the Suns received on a trade of Beal was that the draft compensation they could offer couldn't offset the cost for a team to take him on.

Via Ramona Shelburne, Brian Windhorst/ESPN

Wizards interest made me chuckle...

gpoon wrote:Wizards interest made me chuckle...

They would not have been interested in Beal; they would have been interested in the picks coming back with him.

Can you imagine what a terrible blunder that would have been for ATL? Who's running that chit chow?

This is the most Wizard thing ever.

Pickled Prunes wrote:Can you imagine what a terrible blunder that would have been for ATL? Who's running that chit chow?

Not a blunder at all they want the picks they aren't going anywhere may as well build up their stash.

Poor Wizards, they wanted to be able to build a Bradley Beal statue outside of their arena

Im disgusted just reading this. I hope it isn't true or just an exaggeration.

It would have been truly hilarious if, after the the Suns sent picks to the Wizards in order to get Bradley Beal, they sent more picks to the Wizards less than 2 years later, to take back Bradley Beal.

ChuckChilly wrote:Im disgusted just reading this. I hope it isn't true or just an exaggeration.

Out of curiosity, are you disgusted that the Hawks were interested or that so few teams were interested. It's a salary and contract issue. He's not only one of the highest paid players in the NBA, but he's got a no trade clause and a trade kicker. The team that acquires him couldn't flip him a year later when hes an expiring deal unless he agreed to the trade. Their hands would be tied.

https://hoopshype.com/salaries/players/

Bradley Beal doesn't even need the No-Trade Clause, it was structured into his contract right from the beginning.

gms probably learned a lesson to not give tier2 and below players any no trade clause ever again.

Luv those Knicks wrote:

ChuckChilly wrote:Im disgusted just reading this. I hope it isn't true or just an exaggeration.

Out of curiosity, are you disgusted that the Hawks were interested or that so few teams were interested. It's a salary and contract issue. He's not only one of the highest paid players in the NBA, but he's got a no trade clause and a trade kicker. The team that acquires him couldn't flip him a year later when hes an expiring deal unless he agreed to the trade. Their hands would be tied.

https://hoopshype.com/salaries/players/

That the Hawks were considering it. It makes no sense for us as we didn't really have bad contracts we would want to swap nor would he add anything to the roster talent wise.

Basically it shows the level of incompetence that our front office has by even considering it.

Vegeta10176 wrote:

Pickled Prunes wrote:Can you imagine what a terrible blunder that would have been for ATL? Who's running that chit chow?

Not a blunder at all they want the picks they aren't going anywhere may as well build up their stash.

Those were terrible picks, almost guaranteed to be in the 20's. The one from this season will be 29 or 30.

ATL doesn't control their own pick until 2028, the year after Beal and Trae expire. Beal and Trae would combine to equal $100m in 2026 and $106m in 2027. They would be expiring and movable in 2027, but Beal will still have his NT and ATL will still owe that years pick to SAS, so tanking is off the table. That would instantaneously be the worst defensive backcourt in the NBA, and I'm not sure it would be elite on the other end.

If ATL is going to build around Trae (brilliant but flawed) they need to be very selective about how they use their cap. They can't throw $50m at a borderline AS. If they are going to rebuild without bottoming out, it should probably start with them trading Trae.