Bradley Beal will have his wish: he's staying put this summer.
The Washington Wizards are expected to offer Beal a five-year maximum contract when Beal becomes a restricted free agent this summer, the Washington Post's Jorge Castillo reports.
A four-year veteran like Beal is slated to earn as much as 25 percent of the salary cap which is projected to be around $92 million for the upcoming season. That would see Beal earn $23 million in the first year of his deal.
Beal iterated repeatedly that he would like to remain with the Wizards, but he also made it clear that he wanted a maximum contract.
"I feel like I'm a max player and that's what I'm looking for. If Washington can't meet that requirement then I may be thinking elsewhere," he said. "I'm pretty sure that they probably won't (let me go). At the end of the day, that's where I want to be. I think a deal will probably get done but you just never know."
The Wizards tried to lock Beal into a cheaper extension last summer, but Beal rebuked those advances. Instead, he made the smart play to become a restricted free agent during the summer in which the cap jumped from $70 million to $92 million owing to the league's new TV deal.
Tying Beal to a significant raise wouldn't necessarily preclude the Wizards from signing another marquee free agent. The Wizards have room to sign another player to a maximum deal before taking care of Beal.
The eminently talented guard has repeatedly battled injury issues, but there's no questioning the 22-year-old's abilities - especially when it matters most. Beal averaged 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game in the Wizards' last two playoff runs.
