Amid the news that the Washington Wizards agreed to trade star guard Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, reports surfaced highlighting the connection between Beal's agent ā€” Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports ā€” and Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein.

A father-son relationship that at worst was the basis for collusion and at best the tipping point on the scales that favored Phoenix above other potential suitors. A list that not only appeared to include the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Brooklyn Nets but the Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors as well.

ā€œNBA executives are split on whether the Blazers will move Damian Lillard,ā€ according to The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, who adds that Lillard ā€œremains involved in everything the Blazersā€™ front office is doing right now.ā€

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In their effort to add a proven talent, the Blazers ā€œhave had talks with the [New Orleans] Pelicans about Zion Williamson, which has been widely reported at this point. Iā€™ve also heard that they inquired with the [Wahington] Wizards about Bradley Beal, though he only wanted to go to Phoenix.ā€

In the case of the Toronto Raptors, O'Connor reports that ā€œmultiple league sources say they made calls to the Wizards about Bradley Beal,ā€ though he only had interest in the Suns.

It would seem that it doesn't matter what the Blazers or Raptors were willing to offer the Wizards for Beal, given that the three-time All-Star has a no-trade clause in his contract that allows him to essentially pick his next team. However, given the type of trade package that Portland has been offering teams around the league and the trade assets that the Raptors have as well, it only makes Washington's decision a little more of a head-scratcher in the days after the trade was announced.