Despite a game-high 37 points from Bradley Beal, the Washington Wizards absorbed a 132-121 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, their 13th of the season.

It’s no secret that Beal has been frustrated with the mounting losses as the Wizards find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference despite brilliant individual performances by the guard. The team entered the season with high expectations after trading for All Star point guard Russell Westbrook during the offseason, but instead have stumbled out of the gates, losing five of their last six games.

The NBA has seen several star players dissatisfied with their current teams, the most recent being James Harden, who demanded a trade and was eventually shipped to the Brooklyn Nets. Bradley Beal, however, has taken a different route, with reports stating that he has no plans in requesting a trade from the franchise, with the Wizards also making it clear they will not trade the league’s leading scorer.

It’s easy to understand why Beal remains loyal to the Wizards despite their struggles this season. After all, it was Washington who drafted the 27-year old with the third overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He is in his ninth season with the franchise, and has reached the playoffs four times, and was named an All Star twice while with the Wizards.

He thrived in the absence of former backcourt partner John Wall, and continues to play well alongside Westbrook, averaging 35 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 48.5% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc this season.

In an era where star players are more empowered and have more say in deciding where they can play, it is rare to see a player of Beal’s caliber remain with a struggling franchise during his prime. The Florida product wants to make it work with the Wizards even if his 30 or 40-point games still end in losses. Earlier this week, Beal made history for the wrong reasons, becoming the first NBA player to lose 10 straight 40 point games.

But even if he continues his scoring outbursts, there hasn’t been a lot of support for the two-time All Star. With Beal and Westbrook, Washington has one of the league’s best offenses, averaging 117.1 points per game, which ranks third in the NBA. However, they also haven’t been able to stop opponents from scoring, giving up 122.4 points per game, the worst mark in the league. Beal has shown frustration with the team’s defense, even saying that they can’t guard a parked car last month.

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Aside from their defense, Westbrook also hasn’t been able to flash his deadly form so far, averaging just 20.6 points this season, his lowest since his sophomore season in Oklahoma City. The nine-time All Star has particularly struggled to shoot, making just 41.1% of his attempts, which would be his lowest since his rookie season.

Even after their slow start this season, the Wizards, at 4-13, are six games behind the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, and there’s plenty of basketball left to be played. However, fixing the team’s porous defense while getting more help for Beal outside the cold-shooting Westbrook aren’t issues that can be solved overnight.

While it’s admirable that Bradley Beal wants to remain with the Wizards even after a bad start to the season and something that’s rarely seen in the league these days, joining a different team might be what’s best for his career at this point. He is playing the best basketball of his life, and it’s unfortunate that his nightly scoring binges still end with him seated on the bench as their opponents enjoy double-digit leads against his team.

There is still hope that the Wizards and turn their season around, but if the losses continue and frustration continues, then seeking greener pastures might be his best option.