The Miami Heat have inquired with the Washington Wizards about trading for Bradley Beal, but pulling off such a deal would be a major feat for Pat Riley.
It’s been a successful start to free agency for the Miami Heat, all things considered. They moved off Hassan Whiteside‘s salary and acquired Jimmy Butler and Meyers Leonard without giving up other homegrown talent, and it looks like they’ll be able to get under the hard cap pretty easily by the end of the free agency moratorium on July 6th.
The Heat may have their sights set on other big fish, recent success notwithstanding. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards might be next on their list.
Per Jackson:
Per source in contact with one of the teams, Heat has engaged Washington in trade talk. Miami loves Beal, who has said Wizards told him he won't be traded. Taking on Wall (in order to get Beal) & Beal would be highly challenging with cap situation, even if Washington was willing.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 1, 2019
There are a plethora of factors working against the Heat here. First off, what functional front office the Wizards actually have (they’re operating with an interim general manager and don’t seem to be in any hurry to do anything about that) has assured Beal that he won’t be traded. Of course, that only means so much in professional sports and shouldn’t be counted on by any team or athlete, but it’s fine to default to assume that’s currently the case.
Second, the Wizards are currently crippled by John Wall‘s gargantuan contract. Wall will likely be out for all of next season with a ruptured Achilles, and he has four years remaining on a $171 million contract. There’s no reason to think that he won’t end up with the most debilitating contract in NBA history if he isn’t able to return to his former high level of play.
So if the Wizards don’t want to move Beal, but they wouldn’t mind getting rid of Wall’s deal if it’s at all possible, that’s probably where the two teams start trying to find a deal of some sort.
Jackson went on to do some speculation about a possible framework for a trade:
HYPOTHETICAL but... If Wizards could dump last 4 years and $171 M of Wall, would they do Wall and Beal for JJ, Waiters, Winslow, Olynyk & a draft pick in a rebuild (plus Dragic would need to be sent elsewhere with no money back). That among permutations that would work cap wise.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 1, 2019
This transaction was suggested before the Heat completed the four-team deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers on Monday to acquire Butler, and their books were brought closer to in line, so Dragic would not in fact need to be moved for free, at least at this point.
For better or worse, the Wizards have found themselves in a place where next season they may be among the very worse teams in the Eastern Conference, and a player like Bradley Beal doesn’t fit the profile of best player on a bottom-feeder. If the Wizards want to capitalize on their dire competitive situation and tank like a team of their current caliber should, pursuing a deal with the Miami Heat may be in their best interest.