Wizards to offer Beal 3-year, $111M max extension

The Washington Wizards won't waste time trying to lock down Bradley Beal.

Washington plans to offer the guard a three-year, $111-million max contract extension as soon as he is eligible to sign on Friday, general manager Tommy Sheppard told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"At the very first moment allowed, we are going to offer Bradley the full max extension," Sheppard said.

Beal is currently under contract through another two seasons, meaning the extension would not kick in until the 2021-22 campaign. If he rejects the offer, the Wizards do not plan to immediately search out a trade for the 26-year-old, Sheppard told Wojnarowski.

After the Wizards make their offer, Beal has until Oct. 21 to sign, Wojnarowski adds. Washington would be willing to work with one- or two-year deals if Beal prefers a shorter-term agreement instead.

"There are moments in a career where there are big decisions to make, and Brad will work through everything and figure out the right thing to do," Mark Bartelstein, Beal's agent, said. "There are nothing but great feelings for (owner) Ted (Leonsis), Tommy, and (head coach) Scott (Brooks). They've treated Brad wonderfully."

Sheppard stressed the onus is on the team's newly revamped front office to prove to Beal they can return to contention again in the near future.

"He's got two years left on his deal, and he's from Missouri and we are going to have to show him," Sheppard said. "We need to show him that we are about building this the right way, that we aren't going to have character-deficient guys around him.

"We are going to surround him with guys he wants to play with. He saw that right away in free agency with us bringing back Thomas Bryant."

If Beal waits until next summer, his max potential extension would climb to a four-year, $155-million deal. However, that number could balloon to a five-year, $254-million super-max deal if he makes an All-NBA team.

Beal has been with the Wizards for his entire career. He was drafted third overall by the franchise in 2012 and has averaged 19.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the seven seasons since. The two-time All-Star had his best year to date in 2018-19, posting career-high averages of 25.6 points, 5.5 assists, five rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.