Washington Wizards hope to be able to keep Bradley Beal in the long term after agreeing to trade Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Per Marc Stein of Substack.com:
“The Wizards agreed to the Westbrook trade, league sources say, believing it would enhance their chances of Beal committing to a long-term extension to stay in the nation’s capital rather than hasten his exit.”
Wizards will receive a hefty compensation that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and a first-round pick, building a potential strong core around Beal.
This fall, Beal will be eligible for a four-year, $181 million extension that begins in 2022. However, if he waits until 2022 free agency, he could sign a five-year deal worth a projected $235 million.
