As NBA free agency approaches, one of the top potentially-available players isn’t expected to be changing teams.
Wizards guard Bradley Beal is anticipated to opt out of his current deal and re-sign with Washington on a $248 million extension, according to ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. The deal is expected to run for five years.
Beal’s current player option for the 2022-23 campaign is worth $36.4 million, which Pelton reports is “much more certain to be declined.” The five-year deal would keep Beal in Washington through his age-33 season.
Beal was limited to just 40 games last season after undergoing season-ending wrist surgery in February. The three-time All-Star averaged 23.2 points and a career-high 6.6 assists per game, though he shot a career-worst 30.0% on three-point attempts.
Beal has spent his entire career with the Wizards after being drafted by the team with the third overall pick in 2012. He was a third-team All-NBA selection in ’21, when he averaged a career-best 31.3 points per game.
The Wizards finished 35-47 last season, their fourth straight year with a losing record. Washington has not won a playoff series since 2017, when the team advanced to the second round and lost to the Celtics in seven games.
