Report: Bradley Beal would consider waiving no-trade clause to join Kings

Jun 15, 2023, 1:03 PM | Updated: Jun 16, 2023, 1:59 pm

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 15: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards dribbling the ball ...

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Editor & Kings Beat Writer

Let the NBA offseason madness begin.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Sacramento Kings have emerged as a candidate to trade for Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

Beal, a three-time All-Star, could become available this summer if Washington chooses to move into a rebuild rather than build around the high-scoring guard.

The 29-year-old guard is in a unique situation as the lone NBA player with a no-trade clause, but the Florida product is eyeing Sacramento as a potential destination if the Wizards move forward in seeking a new home for the former third-overall pick.

Another team that’s had Bradley Beal trade talks with the Wizards: The Kings, sources tell me and @sam_amick. It’s believed Beal would consider Sacramento given his no-trade clause, but right now there does not appear a clear pathway for the two sides.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2023

Any deal sending Beal to California’s capital city would cost the Kings a pretty penny, likely starting with the team’s 24th overall pick in next Thursday’s NBA Draft, along with salary that can match Beal’s massive $46.7 million salary for the 2023-24 season.

Beal will be in line to make over $208 million over the next four seasons, with the final year (player option) in 2026-27 paying the then-33-year-old $57.1 million.

Charania’s report indicates that there is currently no clear path between Sacramento and Washington for a deal, but the fact that there is mutual interest between the two teams is a telling sign that Kings general manager Monte McNair will turn over every stone in building a winning product.

Another takeaway from this report is the fact that Beal, who can choose to block any trade to an undesirable destination, is open to joining a Kings team that just snapped a 16-year playoff drought and posted the third-best record in the Western Conference.

Beal has been one of the best scorers in the league over the past five years, averaging 27.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from three-point range since the 2018-19 season.

Could the Kings make a trade for Beal work?

Sliding Beal into a lineup with All-NBA talents De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis would spell trouble for opponents, but it’s hard to envision what Sacramento would look like if they were to swing a deal with Washington.

To make a trade for Beal work, the Kings would likely need to offer up multiple draft picks, recent Rookie All-First team forward Keegan Murray, sharpshooting guard Kevin Huerter, and more for the rebuilding Wizards to accept.

It’s possible that Washington and Sacramento could work a sign-and-trade for Harrison Barnes to help match salary, but it’s hard to envision a rebuilding Wizards team adding the 31-year-old Barnes into its plans for the future.

Beal is a star talent, one that the Kings would surely benefit from having in the fold, but breaking up the team’s young core in a deal of this caliber might not be the best course of action regarding taking a step forward.

Trading away young talents in Murray, Huerter, or Davion Mitchell while further mortgaging the future on future first-round picks is a tall order for Beal, who will turn 30 years old on June 28th and has a massive price tag attached to his next four seasons.

Injuries could also pose a risk in bringing Beal in, who has yet to log over 60 games since the 2018-19 season.

Seeing star players eye joining Sacramento is an encouraging sign for a franchise that has historically struggled to attract talent, but the juice might not be worth the squeeze in this particular deal.

Still, the news of Beal’s potential interest in the Kings could pose a sign of what is to come once free agency opens up on June 30th.

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