The Washington Wizards, despite having some solid pieces in Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma, have now faltered to an 11-17 record, losing ground in the congested Eastern Conference standings. Entering their Monday night game against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets losers of six straight games, Beal's recent hamstring injury hasn't helped matters at all. And Durant knows it.

After a 112-100 Nets victory to deal Washington its seventh straight defeat, Kevin Durant felt for the shorthanded Wizards, saying that replacing Bradley Beal's contributions amid his current three-game absence is no small task. In the process, Durant showered Beal with some lofty praise that some could even perceive as hyperbolic.

“He’s a Hall of Fame, All-Star player. Take that away from your team, you’re trying to figure out where that impact’s gonna come from,” Durant said, per Kristian Winfield.

There's no question that Beal is a talented player. On the season, he is averaging 22.9 points on a career-best shooting efficiency from the field. And the Wizards, try as they might, have little means to fill in his production.

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Unheralded rookie Jordan Goodwin may have stepped up in recent games, while Will Barton rose from the dead against the Nets with a season-high performance. However, Bradley Beal's impact for the Wizards is simply irreplaceable. This is especially the case given the eye-popping supermax contract he signed in the offseason.

While some would bristle at Kevin Durant's suggestion that Beal is a Hall of Fame talent, it's not too late for the 29-year old shooting guard to keep racking up the numbers that could make him worthy for inclusion in Springfield. The Wizards' shooting guard may just be miscast as the first option. The Wizards have only made the playoffs once with Beal as the undisputed star in DC, and that took an incredible performance from Russell Westbrook to come to fruition.

Nevertheless, Beal is here to stay in Washington, for better or for worse. No matter what critics may say about his contract, he remains an invaluable piece to the Wizards and will continue to be for years to come.