One player who was frequently mentioned in trade talks this NBA season is Bradley Beal. The 27-year-old guard is signed until the 2021-22 season with the Washington Wizards and owns a player option after that. Although that is still far off, a recent purchase of an expensive house has sent mixed signals to the basketball world.
In a report from Variety, Beal and his wife (Kamiah Adams) bought a $6.8 million house in Los Angeles. Now, some are trying to connect this with the future of the third overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, some speculating he could make the jump by 2022 at the earliest.
There is no question that Beal could be of big help to the Lakers by that time. He was one of the most sought after players last season though he opted to stick it out with the Wizards. But even with a contract signed, there are some still suggesting that a trade could happen. But with the Lakers needing to make room to accommodate Beal’s lofty contract, seeing the 6-foot-5 joining the purple and gold may happen but in a couple of years.
Ironically, the 2021-22 season would be LeBron James last year - assuming he picks up his player option. If he picks it up, he would be paid roughly $41 million for that final year before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Ordinarily, teams would still go after James. But a factor to watch here is his age. James will be 37-years-old by that time. If the Lakers intend to keep him, the three-time NBA champion is likely to be dangled a short-term deal. As far as the money is involved, it could still be hefty. That would depend on James’ level of play.
For now, Beal has not shown any indication of wanting to join the Lakers. In November, he made some comments following a game against the Lakers. He somehow stressed loyalty, saying that there is no guarantee of winning an NBA title if a player jumps ship. But in the case of the Lakers, the club is on the cusp of winning one.
"At the end of the day, there's no guarantee you'll win a championship by jumping ship. Only one team wins. When it comes down to my decision-making, I really factored that in. It looks great, but the grass isn't always greener," Beal said.
Should the Lakers win the 2019-20 NBA title and continue their reign, Beal may just want to reconsider the interest. If not, other players could form the Lakers big three – or even succeed James who is not getting any younger.
