It's November, 2014. That's apparently not too early for league executives to begin speculating on the type of contract Bradley Beal could receive ahead of his free agency in 2016.
Beal is in just his third year in the league and is under contract this year for $4.5 million, and next year for $5.7 million. From July 1 to Oct. 31, Beal and the Washington Wizards have a window to negotiate an extension on his rookie scale deal, and if they can't, Beal would become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2017.
The Wizards better be ready to open the checkbook if they want to lock him down for the long run, according to a report from RealGM. RealGM cites league executives that already believe Beal will ultimately command a maximum salary extension, something the Wizards are apparently ready to offer if that's what it takes to keep the sharpshooter in-house.
Beal has only played five games this season due to injury, but he appears set to build on his breakout 2013-14 sophomore campaign. Last season, Beal averaged 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists, solidifying his reputation as one of the game's premier shooters with a 40.2 percent clip from outside. While he's not there yet, it's easy to see the 21-year-old developing enough in the next two seasons to be worth a maximum extension.
The timing may confuse matters, though. The salary cap is set to rise significantly in 2016, which may lead Beal's camp to hold out for a deal in restricted free agency, when a maximum contract would be 25 percent of a much larger salary cap number.
Also muddying things is that the Wizards may want to delay inking Beal to a deal to maximize their cap space in 2016, when D.C.-native Kevin Durant could be an unrestricted free agent. The Wizards will have to weigh signing Beal to a friendlier extension next summer against some additional cap space in 2016, with the risk of having to pay Beal more in the end.
Of course, all of this talk is incredibly premature. Beal will have to show a return to form following the injury and continued growth this season, and the two sides have nearly a full calendar year remaining before they can even negotiate.
