Wizards' Beal: Goal next season is Eastern Conference finals

Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal took what seemed like a small step forward in 2013-14, his second NBA season. That was until the playoffs, when that step started looking like a leap. 

The 20-year-old broke out to the tune of 19.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 41.5 percent shooting from deep in 11 playoff games, leading the Wiz to a surprise first-round victory over the Chicago Bulls and a spirited 6-game push against the top-seeded Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

Reel off all the caveats you like - about the Bulls' offensive ineptitude or the Pacers' late-season swoon, about the anemia of the Eastern Conference in general - the Wizards still outperformed expectations in a big way. They're looking to do the same again next season. 

"It was awesome to be able to prove a lot of people wrong and to be able to showcase what we’re capable of doing," Beal told SLAM Online. "At the same time, we aren’t satisfied, because we feel like we could have gotten a lot further than we did. [...]

"The Eastern Conference Finals is a goal we’re going to have moving into next season. Hopefully we can build off what we accomplished this past year and get off to a great start again."

On top of his hopeful projections for next season, Beal touted the "great system" of recently-extended head coach Randy Wittman, and talked about his strategy for luring soon-to-be free agent Trevor Ariza back to Washington: 

"I might take him shopping, take him out to eat, get him a nice fat steak or something. Whatever it takes to convince him to come back. Whatever it takes."

Talk about leadership. 

Suffice it to say, if Ariza does in fact wind up playing in the nation's capital again next season, Wizards fans will know just who to thank. 

[H/T CBS Sports]