The Brooklyn Nets have reportedly "discussed avenues" to acquire Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, according to the Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News.
Bradley Beal is currently in a two-year, $72 million extension deal with the Wizards that is set to begin with the 2021-22 season, and give Beal a player option for the following season. Beal has been with the Wizards for eight seasons now and was drafted No. 3 back in 2012. He is currently one of the highest-paid guards in the NBA, and is set to make roughly $29 million next season. In order for the Nets to trade for him, when he has his player option in the 2022-23 season, they would have to match salaries.
The Nets have been on the hunt for that third-star player to round out their one-two-punch in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Irving also said in January that the team needs that extra piece in their roster to get them to that next level.
"I mean, it’s transparent," Irving said. "It’s out there. It’s glaring, in terms of the pieces that we need in order to be at that next level. I’m going to continue to reiterate it. We’re going to do the best with the guys that we have in our locker room now, and we’ll worry about all the other stuff, in terms of moving pieces and everything else, as an organization down the line in the summer.”
Prior to the NBA season being postponed due to COVID-19, the Nets sat at seventh in the Eastern conference, despite not having KD for the entirety of the season, and losing Irving due to injury midway through.
