Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards are under new management. Does it mean sweeping changes are coming?
The Wizards hired former Los Angeles Clippers General Manager Michael Winger to take over after the team dismissed Tommy Sheppard. Sheppard replaced longtime GM Ernie Grunfeld whom he worked under for years before ascending to the top job.
With Winger, Washington truly gets a fresh start. That could also mean a total restart given the continued basketball mediocrity in D.C. The early rumblings across the league seem to indicate that, according to sources from NBA insider Marc Stein.
“The early around-the-league reaction to Washington's hiring of Michael Winger to take over its front office: Pretty much every rival team I've spoken to is already expecting aggressive activity from the Winger-led Wizards.”
One big roadblock is the no-trade clause Bradley Beal got when he signed his maximum extension with the Wizards. He'll have the final say on whether or not he moves on from the organization. It remains to be seen just how reluctant Beal remains against relocating to relatively greener pastures. He's long been content to stay with the team that drafted him, with the money and top-billing status giving him incentive to stay.
“Beal holds the NBA's only active and full no-trade clause as he enters Year 2 of a five-year, $251 million contract, so Washington can't send him anywhere without Beal's consent.”
The Wizards also have decisions to make with his two co-stars in Kristaps Porziņģis and Kyle Kuzma. Michael Winger may not be able to force Bradley Beal into a trade outright, but changing the direction of the franchise around him might be enough to get the writing on the wall. It's going to be an interesting offseason in Washington.
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