Beal’s second quote
The next quote isn’t as long as the first, but it has just as great an impact. It was in the section of the piece where he describes the Mystics’ being able to land Elena Delle Donne. Here is the quote.
"But when the news first broke that we’d traded for her? I mean, it was definitely news. But I don’t think it was seen by most people in D.C. as the game-changer that real WNBA heads knew it was. The real fans, like myself — we knew: Elena was the missing piece we’d been waiting for. The Mystics were about to be a problem."
Explaining Beal’s second quote
This speaks to his awareness and presence of mind to understand the bigger picture when it comes to players, roles, and how certain moves or acquisitions can not only be career-changing for the players involves, but franchise-altering if things go as they are typically planned.
To be clear, Beal could be the Miami Heat’s Elena Delle Donne, and I believe that fact is not lost on him. While it may seem trivial at first, it makes a ton of sense if you think about it.
Awareness is something that isn’t a given in 2019’s microwave society. As a people, we tend to want things now, when, where, and exactly how we want them. The funny thing is that life doesn’t actually work that way and being aware of exactly what is occurring is key.
This quote from Beal comes off to some simply as his fandom getting the best of him, but it truly shows an awareness in the bigger picture and how patience is necessary. She was the “missing piece”, meaning that they had been building towards that type of acquisition, which ultimately meant they were building towards that success.
This means that he is also aware of the fact that something sturdy must be built on a solid foundation or plan. This is something that the Wizards can’t offer him at the moment, with no real timeline in sight for when they may be able to. Again, while this doesn’t necessarily single out Miami as the possible destination, it does appear that he won’t be able to get what he needs from where he currently is.
With John Wall out for at least this upcoming season, along with the current standing of the roster, and seeming direction of the franchise, these things are not lost on Beal either. This is why when considering his expressed sense of the need for regiment, his apparent awareness, and his understanding of timing, his love shown to the Mystics doesn’t necessarily imply anything.