It’s no secret that Bradley Beal is one of the top shooting guards in the NBA. It’s no secret that the Washington Wizards’ chances of winning are directly tied to how well their star shooting guard performs. Unfortunately for Washington, they’ll need a supporting cast to advance in a big way. At least for a week. The Wizards announced Thursday that Bradley Beal suffered a low-grade left atrial strain that was revealed by an MRI. The injury occurred during the Wizards’ upset of the Philadelphia 76ers on December 27th. With the team sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference, but with aspirations of at least making the playoffs, Washington needs Beal as soon as possible.
Washington Wizards shooting guard, Bradley Beal, is at least a week out from Hamstring Street
Bradley Beal’s season so far
Bradley is a three-time All-Star because of Al. This year too, he is proving it with an amazing campaign. Even though he didn’t make the All-Star Game last year, that doesn’t diminish his talent. So far this season, Beal is averaging 22.9 points, 1.0 steals and 5.2 assists per game. He is averaging 57.1 percent field goal efficiency. Not to mention, he’s posting career averages in player efficiency rating (21.0), block percentage (1.5 percent) and offensive rating (117). Beal’s only time with an offensive rating of 117 was back in the 2016-17 season, the only time a one-time All-NBA team member has entered the majors.
Is this the best season of Bradley’s career? no way. Could the Wizards be in better shape now? Absolutely. However, Beal is far from all of Washington’s problems. One look at his current season numbers tells you that Beal is still doing everything he can to help the Wizards succeed. With that in mind, however, it leads to a burning question that has been constantly asked over the years.
Will Beal be traded?
Despite signing an extension and Ball continuing his loyalty to the Wizards, the question at the NBA trade deadline will always be, “Will Bradley be traded?” It seems to say. Whether Washington is in free fall is a question Beal must ask as he tries to recover from his lower back injury. If they continue at their current pace, they have a shot at making the playoffs.
But as we’ve seen with other teams like the Warriors and Suns, losing your best player for an extended period of time will hurt your record in the long run. Per BetOnline, the Wizards have +50,000 odds to win the NBA Finals. Of course, the team is unlikely to go that far. Still, every team likes to at least have a shot at sneaking into the postseason. Even if it’s through a playoff. However, if the Wizards fall far short of achieving playoff aspirations, a Bradley Beal trade could finally happen this offseason.
