Wizards star Bradley Beal isn’t opposed to receiving interest from rival teams, he said on Draymond Green‘s podcast, as relayed by James Herbert of CBS Sports. Beal will be eligible to sign a five-year, $245MM contract with Washington this summer if he turns down a $36.4MM player option and becomes a free agent.
“I’m kind of embracing everything,” Beal explained, “so I’m not upset about the rumors, I’m not upset about, you know, teams wanting me. I feel like that’s a good thing, right? We put in the work and we’re wanted by a lot of people, not just where we’re at.”
Beal has seen his name surface in trade rumors, but the 28-year-old hasn’t requested a trade and Washington hasn’t appeared willing to deal him. Beal’s production dipped this season, but he still managed to average 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game on 45% shooting from the floor.
“It’s kind of funny. I’ve never been a free agent,” he said. “It’s kind of reminding me of college recruiting. Like I hear every single game somebody’s recruiting me. Someone’s like tagging on me, whether it’s another player or whether it may be a coach or whoever it may be, somebody’s chit-chatting: ‘B, what you want to do this summer? What you doing this summer?'”
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Kirk Goldsberry considers what Kyrie Irving‘s full-time availability will mean for the Nets and their title chances. As Goldsberry notes, while Irving certainly makes Brooklyn’s offensive attack more dangerous, the team’s defense remains a question mark.
- Magic guard Markelle Fultz is starting to feel more comfortable just one month after his return, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Fultz missed more than a year due to a torn ACL, making his debut on February 28 against the Pacers. He most recently finished with 16 points, three assists and three steals in 19 minutes against the Kings on Saturday, showing potential on both sides of the ball.
- Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is offended by claims that he’s stunted Obi Toppin‘s growth by not giving him enough minutes, plus that he mistreated Kemba Walker, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Thibodeau also lashed out at some social media critics and writers. “It’s a team, not an individual thing,” he exclaimed. “Can’t pick up a box score after and say, ‘How many people are watching to the end of the game’ to really know exactly what happened in the game. I see a lot of opinions, but I don’t see guys doing the work to actually study it.’’
Thibs is delusional. Who else is responsible for PT of young players?
Sounds like Beal wants out but also wants that 245mil.
(A cynic says) sign first, then be the bad boy to get out, as has been done.
In Ben Simmons’s case, a bad back from sharply declined usage is the unintended consequence.
Thibs has stunted the growth of just about every young player he’s ever had except Derrick Rose. And then he ran Rose and Butler into the ground.
Ehhh, it was more like he ran Deng and Noah into the ground..lol
He definitely didn’t stunt the career of Jimmy Butler nor Derrick Rose though. It’s funny how
people misremember things how they want to solely to fit their narrative.
If anything Thibs helped Jimmy’s career take off; otherwise, why do you think Jimmy specifically wanted to play for only Thibs again when he was traded!?!
He forced Jimmy to earn his playing time, he constantly pushed him to work on his defense and use his defense to get minutes. Then, Thibs challenged Jimmy, if he wanted to get more touches on offense to get better, become more versatile. Year after year, Jimmy met the challenge, if not exceeded it..
Thibs just doesn’t seem to understand that not every player is Jimmy Butler, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah, etc. That doesn’t motivate players these days, the majority of players today are pretty thin skinned, they respond more to a less harsh, less strict, and not such a constant demanding environment..
They want the freedom to express themselves, they want a friend and big brother kind of mentor, not the overbearing father that you’re constantly trying to please…
It isn’t a coincidence that one of the most successful rookies this year was a player that is /was a defensive minded first year player in Grimes…
Thibs isn’t good at positionless basketball, he works best with defined roles, and he’s very demanding of his players. If you give him the right group of guys that all can respond to his style, you will have a winner, but he isn’t for everyone, and he wears thin on those people pretty quickly…
Thibs sounded the same way at the end of his run in Minnesota… “You know nothing and I know everything”
I seriously doubt a great coach like Thibs is actually offended by what a bunch of 2k’ers and equivalent morons have to say. More likely he’s amused by it, and is having some fun.
It sounds like to me he’s more responding to the supposed Knicks insiders and experts that have called for his head because he helped them overachieve last year, which lead to inflated, unrealistic expectations this year…Ultimately, which he clearly failed to meet, for various reasons…
Thibs is certainly partially to blame, but he is FAR from the sole reason they failed this year.
* Unrealistic expectations
*Randle stopping the offensive flow and his lackluster year as a “leader”
*Injuries
*Terrible roster construction with obvious holes
*Bad roster management
He’s not deserving of $245m. What has he won? Mvp? Playoff series?? Get me players who are hungry, motivated, and wants to win at all cost! Beal is not a winner not clutch.
Oh boy, if someone gives Beal that $245/5 will live to regret it that is for sure!
I mean Beal is, as all scoring guards, a volume shooter, nearing 30, no way I am giving him that contract, that was good for him like 3-4 years ago, now… no way he can ever play to that contract as a matter of fact!
If anyone thinks Beal is worth max contract Wizards can give them u feel bad for them.. if they give him the max they are crazy. I just don’t see it
Beal should take the money tbh. Idk that he can sign and trade for 245M tho?
Thibs…I wonder if he looks at the same box score I’m looking at that shows a Knicks loss. Constructive criticism isn’t his thing, it’s his defensive posturing, which has always been his strength.
Honestly it seems that although Thibs is partially responsible for the Knux lost season he is also being targeted for the Front Offices’ multiple bad decisions starting with picking Toppin over Halliburton when they already had Randle to signing Kemba Walker rather than making a trade, signing or hello moving UP in the draft for a true point guard. The FO is on silent mode so Thibs is taking the blame for them too, they are equally if not more at fault.