Hornets Have Inquired On Bradley Beal

The Hornets have contacted the Wizards to inquire about the possibility of acquiring Bradley Beal, a source confirms to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Spencer Percy of Queen City Hoops (Twitter link) first linked Charlotte to Beal.

A report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday suggested that the Wizards were giving teams the impression that they’re willing to discuss any player on their roster, including Beal and John Wall. However, multiple reports since then have downplayed Washington’s interest in making a move involving Beal or Wall. In other words, while they’re not going to hang up on teams asking about Beal, the Wizards appear unlikely to actually trade him.

Even if the Wizards are open to listening, it’s not clear what sort of package the Hornets would be willing to put on the table for Beal. Percy suggests (via Twitter) that Marvin Williams and Jeremy Lamb‘s expiring contract might be a start for salary-matching purposes, with Miles Bridges, Malik Monk, and/or future first-round picks among the assets Charlotte could include in a proposal.

Although a deal between the two division rivals seems like a long shot, the Hornets’ apparent interest in Beal reflects the team’s desire to add a second impact player to complement star point guard Kemba Walker.

Earlier today, Bonnell wrote in a piece for The Observer that Walker and Hornets owner Michael Jordan are both interested in extending the relationship beyond 2019, when Kemba becomes a free agent. However, Bonnell also noted that Charlotte will need to get Walker some help in order to maximize his prime and convince him that the Hornets can become a contender.

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