“If you can show the industry, show the world that you can draft, develop, keep great players, that’s how you start to make your way to become a destination,” Leonsis said.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks previously relayed, Bradley Beal‘s new five-year, maximum-salary contract with the Wizards contains a no-trade clause — making him just the 10th player in league history to receive one. In addition to featuring a no-trade clause, Beal’s $251MM deal includes a 15% trade kicker and a fifth-year player option, according to Marks.
At a press conference to announce the signing, owner Ted Leonsis defended the provisions that were added to Beal’s contract, writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post.
“There’s a lot of movement, a lot of non-partnership that you see around the league. And for there to be a public statement that essentially says, ‘We have a player that wants to be here and serve out his contract, as do we,’ that allows your general manager to plan, to be able to have the confidence that your best player, your bedrock player, is a part of the process. So that was something that we did, and when the player brings that to you — we’re not naive. I read the press on occasion, and I see what people are thinking. I didn’t take it as a point of leverage; I took it more as a point of partnership. All we can do is show you that we’re in this together.”
Beal’s ability to veto any trade over the span of his deal could make it extremely difficult for Washington to pivot if things go south, Wallace notes.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic examines the team’s decision to give Beal a no-trade clause. Robbins says it shows how much the Wizards value — and likely overvalue — Beal, as well as Leonsis’ desperation to re-sign Beal and remain competitive, noting that the owner has been adamantly opposed to tanking in the past. As Robbins writes, if Beal decides to asks out at some point, he will have full power to veto a trade if it’s not to his preferred destination — even if the Wizards were hypothetically getting better value from another team.
- In considering Beal’s new contract, Daniel Levitt of FiveThirtyEight.com comes to the conclusion that it leaves the Wizards stuck in mediocrity going forward. Beal’s loyalty to the Wizards is commendable, says Levitt, but his on-court production doesn’t match his large salary, per FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR wins above replacement statistic. As such, it’s hard to envision how the Wizards can become a legitimate contender with so much money tied up in Beal and Kristaps Porzingis the next couple of seasons, when neither player has shown the capability of being the best — or second-best — player on a championship-caliber team, according to Levitt.
- Point guard Monte Morris, whom the Wizards recently acquired in a trade with Denver, is looking forward to teaming up with Beal, Robbins relays in another story for The Athletic. “I’ve always thought Brad was the best two-guard in the league,” Morris said. “I would tell our players he’s amazing, just how quick he is and can get off any shot. (He’s) athletic, and (with) his energy out there and will to win, I’m excited to play alongside him. I hope it’s the same (feeling) on his side. We’re going to get out in transition. I’m going to get him the ball where it needs to go, and that’s my job: to put us in the right situations and positions to be successful and play at a high level.”
I don’t buy it, it’s a loss for the franchise and one that probably wasn’t warranted for Beal in the first place, he got his full bag.
I think a better comment would have been “No comment: we don’t comment on contract negotiations via the media with our players ” This current statement feels gaseous
Players have been the ones to show a low loyalty level, owners need to cover their tracks the best they can, this ain’t that
@cap
I don’t get your path of thinking. Seems like we have a situation where the player likes the environment he’s in, regardless if it isn’t a competitive one, and in return you have an owner who’s appreciative of the players loyalty even if it does come with massive payroll outlay.
Today yes, 3~4 years from now who knows
These max slots can be considered a stock, a NTC and 15% kicker hurts that stock before it even goes on the market. All this while Beal had zero leverage
Isnt this the same owner who did the same with his hockey team? I dont know much about that, but he seems like someone who cares more about having a face of the franchise than anything else really, and with that, you can build around him knowing he is there as a main piece…that’s essentially what he said. It makes sense. Most teams are only really separated by 1-3 players, in my opinion
They made a good trade for them last year, and they added multiple guards that fit them. They just need to replace KCP on the wing. I also wasnt much of a fan of their draft pick, but I do think he could potentially fit with Beal
I believe that teams are much less loyal to players… they cut them or trade them whenever they want, right?
I wish more teams would give out contracts like this one, showing a lil loyalty to a player, that is refreshing and sadly very rare!
“No comment” gives you no insight. Why prefer no insight?
You cannot possibly blame players for lack of loyalty. Ask Demar if he wanted to leave Toronto. If your FO can move your contract as they see fit, I see no problem with a player being vocal about his career and requesting changes as he sees fit. What kind of backwards thinking leads you to side with actual billionaires because and athlete makes 35 million.
Where would they be if they took Maxey at 9 in the draft instead of Avdija, which is what I had in my mock draft that year…also, they need to figure out what to do with Avdija and Hachimura. Hachimura should see more opportunities at the 5, as I’ve been saying for a couple of years, but they didn’t really address defense at the 4, besides maybe giving more minutes to Gill, and maybe sliding gibson over there in certain lineups. They also lost KCP, and didn’t replace him on the wing, after they finally had good pieces there with KCP and Krispert, after many years of having nothing in that spot
It’s just 2 teams listed. No trade to Houston and no trades back to Washington.
Nothing much to this, Beal picked more money over better chances to win and contend.
Given their roster and the fact that other Eastern got stronger from last season, the WIZARDS would probably be in the play-in, at best.
Each has to sleep in the bed that they made …… well almost everyone, KD says hi.
Almost everyone ha