Washington Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard reaffirmed his stance that Bradley Beal is not available in trade talks ahead of Wednesday’s NBA Draft.
“Bradley Beal isn’t going anywhere,” Sheppard said according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Sheppard has held the stance of not trading Beal since being promoted to GM in 2019. He has repeatedly insisted the Wizards are not interested in trading their star guard. Beal has also expressed his desire to remain with the Wizards despite the numerous trade rumors surrounding him.
Those rumors have increased ahead of the draft with NBA title contender the Golden State Warriors holding the No. 2 overall pick. Additionally, the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets are rumored to be interested in Beal. The Wizards are intent on holding on to the two-time All-Star.
Beal is coming off the best season of his career in 2019-20. He averaged career highs of 30.5 points and 6.1 assists in 57 games before opting out of the NBA restart in Orlando due to a shoulder injury.
The Wizards failed to make the playoffs each of the past two seasons despite the emergence of Beal as an elite scorer. Washington’s woes have been in large due to the absence of John Wall.
Wall hasn’t played since December 2018 following a ruptured Achilles. However, he is expected to return when the 2020-21 season starts in December. The Wizards are banking on his anticipated return along with Beal to get the team back to their prior winning ways.
Beal has shown his commitment to the organization, signing a two-year, $71.8 million extension in 2019 that keeps him under contract through the 2021-22 season with a player option for 2022-23.
While the phone may be ringing to inquire about Beal, the answer from the Wizards will remain the same.
