Bradley Beal will decline his $36.4MM player option in order to become an unrestricted free agent, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports via a source.
It’s long been anticipated that Beal would decline the option and sign a long-term max deal. Beal, who missed the final 33 games of the season because of an injured left wrist, is eligible for a new five-year deal with the Wizards worth a projected $247MM+. The most a rival team could offer him in free agency would be a four-year, $183.6MM deal.
Beal offered a cryptic reply to the report on Twitter, stating “Wait huh? Lol.” (Twitter link)
He said the recovery process from the wrist injury is going well and estimates that 80-90% of his range of motion has returned. He averaged 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 4.7 RPG across 40 contests, on .451/.300/.833 shooting.
Beal has been the subject of trade rumors for years but has so far remained loyal to Washington. Presuming he re-signs with the Wizards, he’ll get a chance to play a full season with midseason acquisition Kristaps Porzingis. Beal’s backcourt partner for next season remains a mystery — Washington is expected to clear its logjam at the forward spots and seek to improve its backcourt situation. The team also holds a lottery pick at the No. 10 spot.