After failing to come to terms on a contract extension last fall, Bradley Beal will enter the offseason as one of the hottest restricted free agents on the market. And while many teams would love to have the 22-year-old sharpshooter on their roster, Beal would prefer to stick with the team who drafted him.
"I want to be here. I don’t know," Beal told The Washington Post's Jorge Castillo. "I don’t even know what I’m getting into right now. It’s like choosing colleges again. But I’m happy where I am. Hopefully, we can agree with each other this summer and we can get it done. But if not, it’s a business at the end of the day."
In four seasons with the Washington Wizards, Beal has largely proven his worth after being selected third overall in the 2012 draft, averaging 16 points throughout his career. While Beal has been effective when he's on the court, injuries have been a constant concern since his rookie season, totaling in 81 missed contests throughout his four-year Wizards tenure.
"The injury always comes unexpected," Beal said. "I’m my toughest critic. I love to be on the floor. I’ll do whatever it takes to play the most minutes. No matter if it’s a back-to-back, four games in five nights, if I have to play 40 minutes, I’ll play 40 minutes. That’s just my mentality."
Beal is almost guaranteed to sign a max deal, even with his extensive injury history. With approximately $27 million in cap space heading into free agency, the Wizards certainly have the cash available to get a deal done if they so choose.
